Voyage to Discovery
by MistyGirl1
Summary: Once in a relationship, but now apart, Mark and Princess find themselves together on an unexpected journey. Its a fine line between fantasy and reality.  Can they keep their minds on their job, or only on each other?
1. Chapter 1

**VOYAGE TO DISCOVERY – Chapter 1**

_Author's note:__ This is a collaborative effort between me and my good friend Summer39. A story that's been in the making for months and only now have either or us had the opportunity to bring it to fruition. We're huge fans of "BoTP" and wanted to create a story centered around Mark and Princess' fledgling romance on a cruise ship. Memories of the past are filled with pain and misunderstanding, but faith has a way of bringing people together despite their differences. This 'voyage' is more than a trip, but a path toward discovery. Can Mark and Princess find their way back to each other? This story takes place several months after my last two stories "Worth the Wait" and "Where Do We Go From Here?" The war with Spectra continues and the characters have been aged by several years from the original television show placing them in their early 20's with the exception of Keyop who's 18 in this story. The usual disclaimer still stands: "BoTP" belongs to Sandy Frank Productions. We hope you will enjoy it._

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_Their G-Force mission was to have been a simple one. To get aboard the Spectran mecha and plant the bomb near the ship's central operating core. Princess, being the demolition expert, was to install the device and Jason was to have provided back-up while the rest of the G-Force team remained on board. Should G-2 and G-3 needed help they were to signal using their communicators. Everything seemed to have been going according to plan, but Jason and Princess were discovered by Spectran guards. All hell had broken loose; the sounds of screams and gunfire littering the airwaves as the commotion was heard by Mark, Tiny, and Keyop back on the Phoenix as they manned the stations. Mark yelled into his communicator, "G-2! G-3! What in the hell is going on? Do you copy? What's going on in there?" before the signal abruptly ended. Mark turned towards Keyop and ordered, "Let's go!" before turning on his heel to leave their ship. Suddenly an explosion thundered through the atmosphere, the impact shook the Phoenix violently tossing the Commander and G-4 against the walls of the ship while Tiny, G-5, struggled to regain control. The team looked up and watched in horror on the large screen as the Spectran mecha, now a blazing inferno, plummeted towards the ocean below. "No! No!" Mark screamed as he crawled to the screen. The Commander shouted into his communicator, "G-3! G-2! Come in! Damn it, answer me! G-3! G-2!" Another explosion permeated the atmosphere as the mecha ruptured into pieces striking the ocean's surface with Earth shattering force. __**"Noooooooo!..."**_

Mark immediately sat up, his body trembling and awash with perspiration, as he struggled to find his breath in the darkness of his bedroom. Virtually every night held the same nightmare, the same terror that he'd been dealing with since that fateful day; the decision to end his personal relationship with Princess…

_She and Jason had survived the explosion, both having made it out before the Spectran mecha had been destroyed. The duo had been discovered clinging to scattered debris floating on the ocean's surface. Once aboard ship, to the astonishment of his team mates, Mark reacted in anger. He never showed his gratefulness that Princess and Jason had made it out alive. Instead Mark chose to chastise their accomplishment; calling G-2 and G-3's handling of the assignment 'sloppy.' Jason rebuked Mark's criticism by responding, "Do you think I give a shit if whether or not we tied that mecha up in a red ribbon before we destroyed it? How about a little praise Skipper? A well-deserved pat on the back huh? The deed is done! Mission accomplished!" Bruised and limping from a minor leg injury, Jason headed for the Phoenix's infirmary, his arm around Keyop's shoulder, to have his wounds tended to. Mark, still fuming after that exchange, had turned to Princess only now noting her soot streaked face underneath her cracked visor, torn pink uniform and several small cuts and bruises on her fair skin. Princess merely stared at him in disbelief, her green eyes filled with uncertainty as to whether she should say anything. Mark's heart had begun to beat a wild and rapid rhythm in his chest at the site of her. He wanted to grab her and kiss every doubt from her mind that he was indeed grateful that she and Jason survived. Mark reached for her without thinking and then pulled back his gloved hand, the blue eyes that had begun to soften slowly began to darken, his voice indifferent. "Are you alright?" was all he could muster as his gaze swept over Princess. Princess nodded and lowered her tear filled eyes, not wanting Mark to see the depth of disappointment his reaction towards her caused. Numerous times upon Mark's return to the Phoenix after what was believed to be his certain demise, Princess had shown her gratitude for his safety by launching herself into his arms. Her feelings for him were never reciprocated before their team mates. Mark had seen the hurt, hating himself for inflicting more pain on the woman he'd grown to love but he couldn't expose his feelings. As G-Force commander he had to maintain a certain distance and Princess was proving to be more of a liability with his emotions. Like it or not she was a distraction; one that could break his focus and interfere with the team's dynamic…_

Mark thought that he'd gotten past it; even began to believe that he was succeeding. There had been some nights when his body simply succumbed to the weariness after having endured a long and difficult assignment. But when he awakened, he found himself shifting in bed and reaching out a hand as if subconsciously expecting to find Princess lying next to him. Mark snorted at that. Not that it made that much difference. He had made it a point not to get involved too intimately, believing that sex could only complicate their already delicate situation. Hand holding and stolen kisses however weren't satisfying to either of them. They were both over 21. Even Princess groaned her frustrations when he pulled away from her after a make out session that all but had them clawing at each other's skin; when the need to feel each others touch became more urgent, more carnal. As much as he wanted to be with her, the obligation to commit was something he couldn't promise her when being G-Force commander demanded so much of his attention. Yet no matter how hard Mark tried he discovered he couldn't dampen his body's need for her despite having severed his relationship with her right after that particular mission.

Mark swung his legs over the edge of his bed and turned on the lone lamp situated on his bedside table. He rubbed his hands across his face before leaning his elbows on his knees, his eyes staring at his bare feet on his hardwood floor. Absentmindedly Mark fingered his communicator on his left wrist. He cut a quick glance at his digital clock and blinked twice before his blue eyes focused on _**3:00 A.M. **_flashing in neon green almost as if the tiny device were playing a cruel hoax. Mark muttered under his breath while reaching for his faded blue jeans at the foot of his bed. He slid his legs into his pants, stood up and pulled the worn denim up, adjusting himself before sliding the zipper up just enough to be decent, leaving the snap undone. He then headed for his kitchen. He was suddenly feeling very hungry, although he knew deep down it wasn't for leftover pizza.

Mark opened his refrigerator door, leaning over with one hand splayed on the top freezer, his toes wiggling against the cool tile of his kitchen's floor. He snorted at the few items occupying his fridge to choose from. There was a half carton of milk, one can of beer, a half eaten pizza that was several weeks old if the tiny hairs growing on it were any indication of age, and what was possibly a wedge of cheese encased in tinfoil only Mark had never gathered the courage to open it. He reached for the milk, believing he'd be able to find a box of cereal in his cabinet. Surprisingly he did, a box of cereal Princess had purchased, in her quest to provide more fiber in his diet, _Health Oats._ Mark smiled as he poured the cereal into a bowl, remembering his resistance when Princess tried to urge him to taste it…

_They had been running around his kitchen one Sunday morning; Princess reaching over Mark's shoulder with a small sample between her fingers. She persuasively held a tiny oat square to his lips while he playfully clamped his mouth shut. "Prin honey, I like my cereal to taste like cereal and not the box in came in. There's a reason why 'bran' and 'bland' sound so much alike." Princess wrinkled her nose at him and put the square into her mouth, rewarding him with a very feminine pout after_ _she swallowed it whole. Her large green eyes grew in size and her face contorted slightly underneath his scrutiny but she was determined to prove him wrong about the cereal's taste. Finding her irresistible, Mark leaned forward and nuzzled his nose against hers while gliding his mouth softly across Princess' lips. "I'll bet it taste like cardboard doesn't it?" he whispered against the corner of her mouth. Princess had squeezed her eyes shut, nodded twice, and groaned loudly, "Ewww!" while Mark held onto her, wrapping her in his arms, and burying his head into the side of her neck laughing with her…_

Mark continued to smile in spite of himself. That's how it had always been between them. They had a good thing going. _Too bad it didn't last,_ he thought somberly as his mind returned to the present. He took a heaping spoonful of the cereal while leaning against his kitchen's counter. _Maybe it tastes better with age. _Mark began to chew and within moments his face contorted disapprovingly of what he'd placed in his mouth. "What the…? Aww…damn it!" He leaned over his kitchen sink and began spitting out the remnants of his early morning snack; that distinct taste of bark and sour milk that didn't quite go together. He then reached for the milk carton nearby and discovered it had expired three days ago. "It's official," Mark spoke out loud. "I'm pathetic. Princess used to keep food…"

"What in the hell am I doing?" Mark tossed the bowl into the sink and leaned on the kitchen counter, his brows stitched together in anger. _I need to stop thinking about that girl_. He turned around and took a good look at his house. Problem was how could he stop thinking about Princess? Mark took a look at the multicolored prints on his once bare walls, the comfortable throw pillows on his couch, the curtains hanging from his windows…She had turned the place into a home for him. Princess had taken care of things he normally wouldn't have made the time to see about. Mark then sighed regretfully. _I never took care of her the way she cared for me._ He closed his eyes tightly. _And the way I treated her after that particular mission…_

A familiar sound cut into Mark's thoughts; the buzz of his communicator. The red light flashed indicating Chief Anderson's priority alert signal. Mark lifted his left wrist to chest level. "G-1 here Chief Anderson," he responded brusquely. "Go ahead."

Choosing to ignore Mark's tone and sensing that the young man was probably tired at being notified so early in the morning, the Chief of Galaxy Security continued. "Mark, I'm going to need you and the rest of the team here within the half hour. It's a matter of the utmost importance and we need to get on this as soon as possible."

Mark frowned. "What's Zoltar up to now?" His tone had changed from being merely annoyed to serious; the voice of his alter ego.

"Too much to go into at this moment. I'm having the rest of the team notified immediately. I'll be expecting all of you at the IFPP Building within the half hour." The sign off signal concluded the conversation.

Mark hurriedly made his way back to his bedroom. He put on a pair of socks, athletic shoes, and a black t-shirt before throwing on a worn denim jacket as he headed outside to his red sports car. _It can't be a mech attack or we would've been called into Center Neptune. It's got to be a civilian assignment, _Mark mused as he started the car using _Identity Access_, his fingerprint granting the convertible permission to start the engine. The car started smoothly and Mark shifted into first gear. Looking both ways before easing onto the main road near his private air strip, Mark's foot tapped the accelerator once, the engine roared, and the G-Force Commander jettisoned toward the IFPP (Intergalactic Federation of Peaceful Planets) Campus. His focus on Princess had once again been replaced by his duties. As he sped toward the city Mark's thoughts had become stoic. _This is what I was trained to do. I don't have time to embark on a relationship. I did the right thing. Breaking it off with Princess was the only thing I could've done. _Remembering the vow he took as an 18 year old several years ago, Mark grimaced. "I have a job to do," he spoke quietly to himself as his car raced toward the city; mentally preparing himself for his next assignment.

_**Thanks for reading! There's more to come!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**VOYAGE TO DISCOVERY – Chapter 2**

_Authors note:__ The story continues as the team learns the details of their mission. How will Mark and Princess handle their current assignment given their history together? The circumstances of their breakup are revealed as well as startling revelations about the present._

_My good friend Summer39 and I continue this collaboration based on a premise that we've both had in our heads for close to 30 years. Only now as adults have we had the opportunity to combine the best of our ideas and create this story for you. So please indulge us as we bring this childhood fantasy to life. Remember, our focus is on the romance, so forgive us for any scientific inaccuracies. We have tried our best to build a plausible story and hope that you can suspend any disbelief and simply enjoy the ride. __The usual disclaimer still stands: "BoTP" belongs to Sandy Frank Productions._

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_Oww, my feet are killing me!_ Princess thought to herself as she bent down and pulled off her high heel dress sandals and tossed them on the floor beside her chair. What in the world had she been thinking when she bought these? Oh yes, now she remembered. Jill told her that they were a perfect match for the slinky black dress that she was currently wearing. Plus, they were on sale and Princess was never one to pass by a bargain. As she rubbed the aching soles of her feet, she reminded herself to seriously question the next great deal that came her way.

As she sat alone in the IFPP conference room, she was secretly relieved that no one else had arrived yet. It would give her a few minutes to unwind and prepare her mind to take in the details of what she assumed would be their next mission. She had enough emergency calls in the middle of the night to know what to expect. It was just her luck to get one of those calls on this particular evening, one of the few nights in the recent past that she had actually been enjoying herself. Luckily she had been alone in the ladies room when she received the signal. She was able to respond in private, then return to the club, fake a headache, and excuse herself for the evening. Princess was not too sure that her act was entirely convincing. She took a mental note to make a quick phone call later and hopefully smooth things over.

She padded barefoot over to the coffee machine in the corner of the room. Maybe a little caffeine would give her the boost she needed. As she pondered the myriad of buttons, each specifying a unique brew, she found her thoughts drifting to a certain person that she knew would be arriving soon. _Why does this always have to happen? Can't I just get over him?_

Unfortunately, it wasn't that easy. Ever since the fateful day when they went their separate ways, Princess couldn't help but recall what had occurred between them.

_If only their last moment together weren't so volatile and filled with confusion. It made getting over their relationship so much more difficult..._

_  
The Phoenix had just landed at Center Neptune and most of the team wanted to disembark as soon as possible. Anything to get away from their Commander's fulminating attitude, the look on his face evidence of the anger at how the mission had almost cost the lives of G-2 and G-3. All were tired from their ordeal and just relieved that the mission were over. Mark remained silent and immobile, standing stoically next to his command post. While his back was turned away from his team mates, the remaining G-Force members shuffled quietly toward the ship's exit. Instinct and experience reminding them to keep their mouths shut. Even Jason knew not to push his luck where Mark was concerned at the moment. He eyed Princess standing next to the panel door as Keyop and Tiny entered into the small elevator as they waited for him. The Swan nodded reassuringly at the Condor as he met her expressive green eyes with a look of brotherly concern. "I'll talk to the Eagle," she whispered softly. Jason squeezed her upper arm gently and winked mischievously with his right eye before limping into the elevator to join the others, leaving Princess to face Mark alone. As the panel door slid shut, she closed her eyes tightly and leaned against the nearest wall for support. She heard an unrecognizable thud hit the floor. She flinched when that sound was immediately followed by another. _

_  
Princess then felt that familiar heat; that magnanimous presence burning near by and instantly opened her eyes to find Mark standing before her. He had removed his helmet, revealing those startling blue eyes of his that seemed to scorch right through her. His face was weary and damp with perspiration, his auburn hair clinging to his forehead, appearing as if though he'd been in a struggle-but rather he was waging an inner battle within himself of which Princess couldn't comprehend. She had wanted to alleviate Mark's anguish but before she could speak, he'd reached up and carefully removed her damaged helmet from her head and cast it aside. He watched her sable colored locks rain onto her shoulders as if mesmerized, sifting his hands through the dark damp strands. Princess licked her lips as she watched him, transfixed on his movements as Mark's gloved hands suddenly grasped her face on either side and rushed his mouth over hers; his tongue seeking and finding entrance between her moist lips._

_  
Princess sucked in her breath as Mark continued to plunder her mouth; his tongue coiling around hers, draining and filling her simultaneously as he pressed his body against hers. Her hands, once clutching at the walls in a fleeting attempt for support, were now splayed upon Mark's chest; her fingers clawing at the material of his uniform as she slowly moved her mouth beneath his. Mark groaned something inexplicable, reluctantly pulling his mouth from Princess' only to drag his lips across her soot stained face. His hands traveled hurriedly down to her shoulders and upper arms before migrating to Princess' waist, fumbling and releasing the catch of her utility belt; allowing the obstacle to drop to the floor and kick it out of the way as Princess slipped one leg between his thighs. Their mouths met again hungrily; their hands exploring each others body with unbearable pleasure. Mark then shifted and lifted Princess against him, cupping her bottom beneath the torn pink skirt of her uniform as he all but tried to fuse himself to her. The friction of their movements had turned the Eagle and Swan into one giant furnace of desire. _

_  
It was at that moment when Mark tore his mouth raggedly from Princess', emitting a frustrated, "No!" from his throat as he tried to catch his breath with deep purposeful gulps. His trembling hands were biting into her shoulders as he pushed her almost violently away from him._

_  
Princess felt as if she'd been doused with ice, her body still throbbing with anticipation as she had been ready to give Mark what she would've willingly offered long ago. She queried brokenly through kiss swollen lips, "Mark?" as she reached out to touch his face._

_  
He backed away from her achingly and spoke in a stricken voice, "I can't do this anymore! I can't do this anymore!" He'd shut his eyes after saying that and continued. "Prin this has to stop! I can't be with you and be your superior at the same time! The more involved I am with you the less effective I am as leader of G-Force! Let's just pretend as if...as if these past few months never happened. Maybe then I can salvage what's left of my role as Commander of this team." Mark then looked up and added regretfully, "I'm sorry." He turned on his heel and walked slowly towards the ship's console, placing his palms flat against the surface. _

_  
Princess was stunned into silence, not quite believing what she'd just heard. Surely Mark didn't mean that. Not after the time they'd spent together; not after what they shared. Not after what they were about to share; what almost took place between them only moments before. _

_Stunned and hurt Princess' lips quivered as she asked, "That's it? You're just going to leave our relationship like that?" She walked purposefully toward Mark and reached for his shoulder, forcing him to turn and face her. "Mark I love you and I thought that you loved me...?"_

_  
He looked angrily at her and replied in a distinctively cold tone, "I never said that I loved you."_

_  
If he had struck her with his hand it would have hurt less..._

Princess winced at the thought of his words. They were still painful, even after several months had passed. She shook her head in a vain attempt to shake away the memories. Princess then stared down at the coffee machine and realized that she had just poured herself a cup of Mark's favorite Columbian blend. _Damn! What is wrong with me?_ She set the cup aside and proceeded to select her usual hazelnut cappuccino when she felt a presence behind her.

"Are you going to save some for the rest of us?"

Princess looked up and found herself face to face with the man who had been occupying her thoughts. He was staring quizzically at the two cups of coffee that were set out on the counter before her.

"I…uh…," she stammered in a somewhat startled state. She reached for one of the cups, but instead knocked over a container of swizzle sticks which cascaded across the counter top.

"You caught me by surprise," Princess explained as she began to pick up the sticks and return them to their proper place. Mark quickly reached over to help and in the process brushed his hand against hers. A tingle of electricity shot through her. She knew he must have felt it too as they both suddenly stopped and lifted their eyes to each other.

_After everything that's happened, why do you still have this effect on me?_ Princess silently questioned as she stared into his soulful blue eyes. Although she hated to admit it, he couldn't have looked sexier if he tried! His dark auburn hair was somewhat tousled and his face was shadowed with stubble. She had become used to only seeing the clean cut commander of G-Force in recent weeks, and didn't realize until then how much she missed his "just out of bed" casual look.

He stared intently back into her eyes and seemed as if he wanted to say something to her. Then the moment passed and an awkward silence developed. Although their working relationship had been proceeding "business as usual", this was the first time that they actually had a few moments alone since their breakup.

Feeling uncomfortable and knowing this wasn't the appropriate time to start a long conversation, Princess turned her eyes away and reached over to pick up one of the coffee cups.

"For you," she stated as she handed it to him.

Mark nodded a gesture of thanks as he took the drink from her. Instantly he recognized the familiar aroma. Princess looked on as he gently blew across the top of the cup, his blue eyes giving her a butter melting gaze. He carefully took a sip and let the warmth spread through him. _Ahhh…..just the way I like it! _He thought to himself as he licked his lips in appreciation. _Leave it to Princess to know exactly what I needed._

As the jolt of caffeine began to take effect, he took a closer look at the woman standing before him. It was then that he realized instead of her regular attire, she was wearing a black cocktail dress. Its thin spaghetti straps clung to her shoulders and the bodice, although not incredibly revealing, fit snugly across her chest displaying the slight swell of her breasts and a hint of cleavage. The shimmering knit fabric clung closely to her waist while the skirt fanned gracefully about her hips until it ended a few inches above her knee. This dress was definitely designed for a night out dancing! He returned his attention to her face where he noticed her hair fell loosely in a mass of curls around her shoulders with the top pulled back from her face with a rhinestone clip. Her vibrant green eyes were outlined in dark kohl making them appear much larger than usual. Her skin had an almost luminous glow which was enhanced by tiny flecks of glitter which she had dusted liberally across her face and body.

He was somewhat taken aback by her radiant appearance and was unsure what to say. Clearly she hadn't just arrived from a quiet night at home in front of the television set!

"I didn't expect you to be here first," he commented suspiciously, knowing that her loft apartment was the furthest distance from the IFPP than any of the others on the team.

"Well, I was in the neighborhood," she casually replied.

"Weren't you out a little late?" He responded with a note of concern, "It is almost 4:00 in the morning!"

She shrugged her shoulders and continued to sip her coffee.

"Where were you?" Mark asked curiously, hoping for an innocent explanation for her appearance.

"I was out with a friend," Princess replied vaguely. She was beginning to feel a bit annoyed by all this questioning. She frowned and wondered if Mark really cared who she spent her time with or was just being nosey.

Not satisfied with her response, he pressed on. "Were you out with Jill?" he questioned, feeling certain now that this must be the case. Mark knew that Jill had a weekly "Girl's Night Out" with her friends and often asked Princess to join her. _Hmm...but they usually go out on Thursday nights and this was Friday? _

She was about to answer when she was interrupted by a whistle from across the room.

"Wow! Did you get dressed up just for us?" Jason exclaimed as he roguishly eyed her ensemble.

Princess turned to see him enter the room along with Tiny and Keyop.

"Of course!" she replied smiling, hoping her confirmation would end any further probing for details.

"Oh, I don't think so!" Jason stated, narrowing his eyes and shaking his head in doubt.

_No such luck. _Princess thought to herself.

"You wouldn't spend that much time getting yourself to look this good for us. My guess is that you've been out on a hot date!"

Princess blushed and turned her eyes away from the group. Mark looked on with interest.

"You were out with Jeff, weren't you?" Keyop shouted.

Princess' face began to turn an even darker shade of pink, while Mark suddenly coughed as he choked on his last sip of coffee.

"I'm right, aren't I?" the 18 year old stated proudly, "Do I know how to pick them or what?"

"Hey, isn't that the grad student that's been tutoring you?" Tiny asked as he began to rummage through the snacks stored in the small cupboard next to the coffee machine.

"You mean that guy you've been studying with at Jill's Place?" Jason inquired as he muscled around Tiny and grabbed a candy bar.

"Yeah, that's him!" Keyop confirmed. "Jeff's been a big help with pulling up my Philosophy grade this semester at the university. I just knew that he and Prin would hit it off!"

"He seems like a nice guy," Jason remarked as he made his way to a seat. Tiny nodded his head in agreement as he happily munched on a bag of potato chips.

"Besides, you could do worse!" Jason smirked as he shot a quick glance at a stunned Mark.

_What the hell is going on?_ Mark thought to himself as he watched the conversation unfold before him. One minute he was simply enjoying a cup of coffee, and the next he felt like he'd been hit by a truck! _How did I not see this coming?_

True, he had been avoiding Jill's Place lately, fearing a conversation with Princess might stir up feelings that he wasn't ready to discuss. Yet, he never thought his lack of attention would result in this!

As Princess turned to walk back towards the center of the room, Mark drew himself up along side her.

"You're _dating_?" he whispered under his breath, his voice conveying a note of shock.

It dawned on Princess that this revelation had caught Mark by surprise. _Who does he think he is?_ _Did he actually expect me to wait for him?_

"Life goes on ….._Commander_!" she replied as she raised her coffee cup to him, confidently took a sip, and then turned on her heel.

Mark was speechless! Yet he couldn't have replied even if he was able to, because at that moment the back panel wall slid aside and Chief Anderson entered the room.

"Good morning everyone," the Chief stated as he took a seat at the head of the table. He was dressed in his usual business suit, perfectly pressed. Not a hair was out of place and despite the hour, he appeared to be fully rested. _Does the guy even need to sleep?_ Mark thought to himself as he settled into the chair to Anderson's right while the others took their places at the table.

"I apologize for disturbing you at this hour," he stated, "We had to move quickly on this issue and it couldn't be helped."

With that, Chief Anderson dimmed the lights and clicked the remote to begin his presentation.

"We are on the verge of convincing a brilliant young scientist to sign on as a member of the ISO research team. This is Dr. Elliot Shay"

An image of a young man who appeared to be in his mid 20's was projected on the viewing screen on the back wall.

"Definitely looks like a nerd to me!" Keyop exclaimed as he took note of the wire rimmed glasses and conservative clothing worn by the doctor.

"Takes one to know one!" Jason retorted, after which he immediately felt Keyop's fist connect with his left bicep.

"Dr. Shay's specialty is Quantum Physics," Anderson explained. "He is on the verge of developing a weapons defense system which could permanently eliminate the threat of Spectra and potentially end the war as we know it."

A collective gasp was heard throughout the room. _Could the end of the war be near?_ Although they were young, the team had spent the majority of their lives fighting for peace. Nothing meant more to them than defeating Spectra and having the prospect of a "normal" life.

The Chief clicked the remote further to display a series of schematic drawings and animated simulations of the proposed system.

"His designs are only in the initial stages," Anderson cautioned, "But they have enormous potential. It is crucial that he begin working with our team of scientists to accelerate his progress and prevent the chance of sabotage from our enemies."

"It looks like Dr. Shay has shared much of his research with us already," Mark pointed out. "With so much at stake, does he really have a choice as to whether he works with us? Or do you think he might be holding out for the highest bidder?"

Chief Anderson shook his head as he responded to Mark's accusation. "We had Elliot and his family completely checked out. There is no cause to believe that he would willingly disclose his knowledge to Spectra."

"However, as loyal as Elliot is to Earth's cause," the Chief continued, "He has been wary of sharing his entire set of research findings with the ISO. Up until now, he managed to do his work in relative obscurity. He fears that working with us will make him a prime target."

Mark could see his point. Being a member of G-Force made him well aware of the risk to his life, as well as the lives of the rest of the team. He quickly stole a glance at Princess who had been listening intently to the information that was being relayed to them. It was fear that his feelings for Princess would put the team at even greater risk which drove him to bring a hasty end to their relationship. If he had known it would only lead her into the arms of someone else, he never would have made that decision.

"We've come up with an agreement we believe that will be satisfactory to him, but Dr. Shay will only consider talking with us if we allow him some much deserved and undisturbed honeymoon time."

"The geek is married?" Jason stated incredulously.

The Chief nodded. "This is his new bride, Sabrina Shay."

The image of a voluptuous raven haired beauty replaced the technical drawings which had been displayed on the screen only moments before.

"What a knockout!" Jason exclaimed, "I guess being a scientific genius has its fringe benefits."

"Well, being a genius is something you wouldn't know anything about!" Keyop retorted as payback to Jason's previous dig.

"Hey, being on the racing circuit has its own fringe benefits," Jason said in his defense, "I've got plenty of hot women to choose from."

"I'll say," Tiny nodded in agreement, "That girl you were with at Jill's Place last week almost made me forget my dinner order."

"Must you always focus on appearances?" Princess said with an exasperated tone, "I'm sure there is more behind Elliot and Sabrina's feelings for each other than just what they look like."

"And so you're dating Jeff strictly for his great brain and not his blonde surfer dude looks?" Jason asked.

Princess blushed once again and Mark grimaced at hearing further details regarding the mysterious "Jeff". _Intelligent and good looking too!_ _Yup, this just keeps getting better and better! _

"So where do we fit into this?" Mark inquired trying to get back to the topic at hand.

"I'm glad that you asked," the Chief returned, "We have booked Elliot and Sabrina Shay on a ten day cruise to the Bahamas which leaves port tomorrow afternoon. Jason, Keyop and Tiny, arrangements have been made for you to work as employees on the ship. Jason, you will be a bartender. Keyop will be a steward. Tiny, you will be on the kitchen staff."

"Sweet! Those cruise ships have great buffets!" Tiny exclaimed with excitement.

"So, I assume Princess and I will be there to provide additional bodyguard protection for the honeymoon couple." Mark stated.

"Well, not exactly," Chief Anderson replied, "We've received new intelligence which indicates that Spectra has become aware of our talks with Dr. Shay. We are concerned that bodyguard protection on the ship alone won't be sufficient under these circumstances."

"So why did you book them on a cruise?" Mark challenged, "That leaves them wide open to a Spectran attack."

"Exactly! Knowledge that they will be easily accessible on the open seas will get Spectra's attention and that is where we are hoping our enemies will focus their resources."

The team looked on with confusion. Why would the ISO want to put Elliot and Sabrina Shay in harms way?

"As far as the world is concerned," Anderson continued, "Dr. Shay and his young bride will be on a cruise in the Bahamas. In actuality we will be sending them to an undisclosed private location where they will be under round the clock protection while they enjoy their honeymoon."

Uh oh, Mark didn't like where this was headed…He took another sip of coffee hoping to gather some strength.

"Mark and Princess, you will be on the cruise acting as decoys for Elliot and Sabrina,"

Princess' mouth dropped open in shock. Mark was taken aback and began to sputter and cough once again.

"Are you catching a cold or something?" Jason asked as he handed Mark a napkin to wipe the coffee stains from his shirt.

_Princess and I as a married couple?_ Mark thought to himself. _Was Chief Anderson going insane?_

"But we don't look anything like them!" Mark protested as he tried to regain his composure.

"I have to disagree," Anderson responded as he clicked the remote once more to display a photo of the young couple. "If you look closely, your builds and coloring match almost exactly. You only need a few wardrobe changes and perhaps some make-up to complete the effect. No one else would be more perfect to play these roles."

"I guess you're right," Princess consented as she examined the photo once more, "The resemblance is pretty remarkable."

"We are convinced that Spectra will make a move on the Shay's," the Chief said seriously. "We can't take a chance at risking their lives when the prospect for peace hangs in the balance. The two of you are expertly trained to ward off any attempt that will be made. With the rest of the team as backup, we have an excellent chance to apprehend some Spectran criminals while secretly giving the Shay's the honeymoon that they deserve."

Mark couldn't argue with that logic. Yet, he was still concerned the history between him and Princess would make this mission a challenge to say the least!

"Jason, Keyop, and Tiny, I've arranged for you to start orientation for your positions this morning. This will also give you a chance to become familiar with the ship before the passengers arrive. Go home and pack a few of your personal belongings and then head to the Fiesta Cruise ship docked at the marina," the Chief ordered. "An ISO contact will meet you there to provide further instructions."

"Sure thing, Chief!" Tiny exclaimed.

"You can count on us to sniff out Spectra!" Keyop said confidently.

"Hey, congrats on the marriage buddy!" Jason said as he slapped Mark on the back and gave him a wink. "If I had known in advance I would have thrown you a bachelor party!"

Mark returned a threatening stare as a warning that saying any more would have dire consequences!

As the three young men left the room, Anderson turned his attention to Mark and Princess. "I'd like to talk to the two of you privately for a moment." he said quietly as he walked across the room to shut the door.

Princess, who was still sitting in her chair, bent down to retrieve her sandals from the floor. Mark couldn't avoid noticing her dress shifting causing more of her chest to be revealed. He swallowed nervously as he watched her slip the sandals on her feet and wrap the ribbon ties around her supple ankles. _Damn, if I'm getting this turned on looking at her with Chief Anderson only a few feet away, what's going to happen when we're alone in the honeymoon suite?_

The Chief returned to the front of the room while Mark and Princess positioned themselves before him.

"I've sensed some tension between the two of you lately," he asked. "Is there something that I should know about?"

"No," they both replied quickly in unison.

"Just a minor disagreement," Mark explained.

The Chief narrowed his eyes, obviously realizing there was more to this than the flimsy explanation they provided.

"Well, you will need to put whatever it is aside for the duration of this mission," he stated in an authoritative tone.

Mark and Princess shifted uncomfortably and stole a glance at each other through the corner of their eyes.

"For the purposes of this assignment, you will look and act as a honeymoon couple. Do whatever it takes to make your relationship appear authentic."

_Whatever it takes?_ This conjured up more images than the two felt they could deal with at the current moment. _Was the Chief really giving them carte blanche to act as a married couple in every sense of the word?_

"At one point I thought you were beginning to have feelings for each other. Obviously I was mistaken. Clearly you both lead separate personal lives," he stated as he cast his eyes upon Mark's scruffy appearance and Princess' festive attire.

"I trust that despite the behavior that is required, you will treat this as any other mission and maintain your professionalism. The focus must be on thwarting any attempts made by Spectra. Any personal feelings you have for each other cannot enter into the equation. Is that understood?"

"Yes, of course," Mark assured him hurriedly, "You can trust that we will treat this as any other civilian assignment."

Princess turned to look at Mark as he stoically responded. _Could he really kiss her, hold her….potentially come close to making love to her without feeling absolutely anything at all? Did everything they had shared in the past truly mean nothing to him?_

"Are you o.k. with this Princess?" the Chief asked noticing that her mind appeared to be elsewhere.

"Uh…yeah sure. Not a problem," she said hesitantly, still wondering how Mark could so coldly shut down his feelings in circumstances that they would be under.

"Good. I knew that I could count on the both of you," he said smiling confidently.

Mark and Princess each managed to return a false smile to confirm the Chief's trust in them, yet both knowing that this trust would be greatly tested.

"There are some files on Elliot and Sabrina that you both need to take with you to study before you leave for the cruise tomorrow afternoon," he stated as he motioned to the piles of paperwork on the desk in the corner.

"Mark, I need to speak to you alone for a few minutes," the Chief requested, "Princess, you are free to go."

"I'll call you later," Mark whispered.

Princess nodded nonchalantly and turned to walk away.

He watched as she retrieved the files and left the room. From tomorrow afternoon and for the next ten days they would be husband and wife. _How the hell was he going to handle this?_

"Mark," Anderson replied eyeing the younger man. Mark continued to focus on the door from which Princess recently exited.

"Mark!" Anderson responded in a tone slightly louder than before in an attempt to regain the G-Force commander's attention.

Mark's eyelids blinked several times and he shook his head twice before turning his head in the direction of the Galaxy Security Chief. "I'm ...I'm sorry sir, "Mark stammered. You were saying?"

Anderson leaned against his desk and centered his arms before his chest, regarding Mark thoughtfully as he went on. "Mark, I realize that there's been more going on between you and Princess than you're willing to admit..."

Immediately Mark opened his mouth to rebuke Anderson's statement but the older man held up his hand in a gesture to continue.

"And quite frankly it's really been none of my business to know."

Mark relaxed after this, the tension in his stance easing just a bit as Anderson went on.

"You're both over 21 and whatever occurred between the two of you has obviously been handled with the utmost discretion. For that I'm appreciative. Neither of you have allowed your personal feelings to get in the way of your duties as Federation officers."

Mark grimaced at those words as he thought to himself. _That's not entirely true. How are we going to deal with behaving as if we're a newlywed couple when I've been ambivalent about having a relationship with Princess in the first place?_ Mark walked slowly towards an office window facing east and glanced at the sun rising over the horizon.

He was still having trouble processing all that had taken place that morning. The knowledge that Princess had moved on with someone else was weighing heavily on him. He now realized that he may have thrown away the best thing that ever had happened to him. Yet in a remarkable twist of fate, his personal and professional lives were colliding once more. He struggled to imagine what the results would be given the circumstances.

In watching Mark's reaction, Chief Anderson realized that the burden of responsibility may have begun to take its toll on the young Commander. He couldn't deny that he had reservations about pairing Mark and Princess together on this mission. Never the less, their resemblance to the Shays was a fortunate piece of luck that the ISO couldn't ignore. He had to trust that they would use good judgement and carry out the mission as planned, however difficult that may be.

"Mark, I'm sure you understand the criticality of this mission," the Chief stressed.

Mark drew upon his inner strength, took in a deep breath, and turned to face the Chief.

"Yes, I do," he confirmed, "If what you say about Dr. Shay's research is true, this will bring us another step closer towards winning this battle with Spectra. You can trust that I won't lose site of that goal."

Yes, the goal for now was this mission. Of that he was certain. Yet in the back of his mind Mark had another goal which would sustain him. If Dr. Shay's vision were to become a reality, maybe…just maybe he could reclaim the future that he truly wanted. He just hoped he wasn't too late.


	3. Chapter 3

_Authors note:__ The story continues as Mark and Princess prepare together for their upcoming mission. Can they put their feelings from the past aside or will the memories continue to haunt them? Has Princess really moved on with someone else? _

_I must once again thank my good friend Summer39 for keeping us moving with this story in the midst of all our family and work responsibilities. This has been such a fun collaborative effort! I certainly could never have written this story on my own, so I thank her from the bottom of my heart for taking it on with me. We've got many exciting things planned for future chapters, so stay tuned! __The usual disclaimer still stands: "BoTP" belongs to Sandy Frank Productions._

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_Damn, how much information can someone be expected to process in one day_? Mark asked himself as he tossed a fifth file folder onto the rapidly growing stack of paperwork on his living room coffee table. He closed his eyes and leaned back into the sofa for a few moments hoping this brief break would give him the focus he needed to continue.

The past few hours had not been easy. He and Princess had been pouring over the extensive documentation on Elliot and Sabrina Shay that Chief Anderson had provided to them. Being part of G-Force had often required the team to study the backgrounds of those they had been assigned to protect. Mark was used to reading dossiers on a wide range of individuals. However, this case went well beyond general knowledge of the subject's work and personal relationships. They had to know every detail of the Shay's lives, where they grew up, where they went to school, who their friends were, their favorite foods, their favorite colors, and their hobbies. The list of mundane details seemed endless! On top of that, Mark had to familiarize himself with Dr. Shay's research enough to carry on an intelligent conversation with anyone he may encounter in the scientific field. Quantum Physics wasn't exactly one of Mark's strong suits. As he reviewed the information he concentrated on retaining enough buzz words to sound like he knew what he was talking about. Fortunately, Princess had studied this area quite extensively in the past to supplement her knowledge as a demolitions expert. She assured Mark that if he got stuck, she would prompt him with the details that he needed.

He opened his eyes and observed the beautiful woman sitting across from him as she intently studied the file that rested in her lap. The glamorous dress from that morning was replaced by a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She tilted her head to get a closer look at the documents and a strand of hair fell across her forehead landing near her eyes. Mark longed to reach over and brush it away, but held himself back. To think that just a few short months ago he and Princess had spent many evenings sitting on this very same sofa, often kissing each other senseless while a movie played on the TV in the background. Now here they were again, a stack of files physically between them and a wealth of unresolved issues keeping them apart. Reminders of the past continued to distract him. Mark realized that meeting at his place may turn out to be more difficult than he originally thought, but he knew that it was a necessary step towards reaching his ultimate goal.

Princess looked up from her paperwork, her deep green eyes meeting his penetrating gaze. "Should we try quizzing each other again?" she asked. "I'm almost done with this set of information."

His thoughts still occupied with previous memories, Mark absentmindedly took the folder from her hand and started leafing through it. The file contained some detailed information regarding Sabrina's career as a cocktail waitress. Apparently, she worked at an establishment near Elliot's research facility. They met one day when another scientist suggested that they go out after work to celebrate Elliot's groundbreaking discoveries. Although they seemed an unlikely match, it was love at first sight. Elliot and Sabrina had been inseparable ever since.

"So, how long has Sabrina been working as an …uh ...cocktail waitress?" Mark asked, clearing his throat before stating her profession.

Princess glared back at him. "Are you implying that there is something _wrong_ with being a waitress? If you haven't forgotten, I'm a waitress too!"

"Yeah, but you don't work at a place called _The Gentleman's Club_!"

"I know the name of the club doesn't sound too great, but there is absolutely nothing in her background to indicate she was anything other than a cocktail waitress!" Princess argued. "She is only working this job to pay her tuition to fashion design school."

Mark turned his head to review the photos of Sabrina that lay on the table. She may not have been an exotic dancer or a stripper, but she certainly had the body to be one! He could see how tips from her job alone could fund her education. Although she dressed provocatively, he had to admit that her face did have an air of innocence about it. The file also stated that she was highly intelligent. She came from a blue collar family and apparently had received scholarships to attend several local universities. However, Sabrina chose to pass those aside to pursue her passion in design. He realized now that he had mistakenly jumped to conclusions. In this case, appearances alone did not tell the full story.

"You're right, Prin," Mark consented. "She completely checks out. There is nothing sordid in her past at all. I shouldn't have implied anything different."

Princess' face broke into a satisfied smile and her eyes relaxed. For the first time Mark recognized the uncanny resemblance between her and Sabrina. Their chosen styles of clothing couldn't have been more different, yet Princess more than measured up to Sabrina in terms of looks. He was sure there were many times that she had also been misjudged due to her beauty.

"You know, you really do look like her," he said as he continued to study her face.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" she asked warily, still doubting his perception of Sabrina. True, she didn't know Sabrina either, but after a day of immersing herself in the details of her life, she felt she had a better understanding of this woman whose identity she would temporarily assume. It was important that Mark understood and respected her if they were to effectively portray a married couple.

"Oh it's definitely a good thing," he replied softly. Yet in spite of her resemblance to someone else, Mark knew that there was no way that he could lose sight of who she really was. They had shared too much for him to ever lose those memories.

As Princess started to gather up the paperwork that they had been studying, her eyes fell upon one of the photographs of Elliot.

"You sort of look like him too," she remarked as she held up the photo along side Mark's face.

"Really? So is that a good thing or a bad thing?" he returned.

Princess smiled, "Well, he is kind of cute," she admitted

"You think so?" Mark asked as he put on the pair of wire rimmed frames that had been sitting in a case on the table.

She stared at Mark and then back at the photo. Princess had to admit that with the glasses on, his resemblance to Elliot was quite remarkable.

"Well, we are not exactly identical," Mark countered as he removed the eyeglasses and placed them back in the case, "The Chief told me to get a haircut before we leave."

Princess couldn't help but let out a gasp. She always loved Mark's longer hair and couldn't imagine the thought of cutting it off.

"We compromised and I'm just getting a trim," he clarified. "Besides, it will grow back eventually anyway."

Princess hoped so. Then again, why should she care what Mark's hair looked like anyway? It's not like she would be enjoying the pleasure of running her fingers through it anytime soon. Well….technically, she would be as Sabrina, but that was just a role she was playing. She reminded herself to keep her personal feelings in check and refocused her thoughts back to the Shays.

Princess had to admit that after reading up on the couple she couldn't find much that they had in common. While Sabrina came from humble middle class roots, Elliot had been raised by a wealthy family and attended the best schools. Elliot appeared to be reserved, understated, and conservative while Sabrina was bold and outgoing. Princess was still somewhat baffled as to why they were together.

"Elliot and Sabrina…they do seem so different," Princess remarked, "I wonder what drew them to each other?"

"You know what they say," Mark replied, "Opposites attract."

"Well, I just think a relationship has a better chance if two people have more things in common," Princess explained. Her thoughts brought to mind the many qualities and interests that she and Mark had shared. At one time she believed their similarities would keep them together, yet in the end, they only resulted in keeping them apart.

"On second thought," she added, "Maybe having too many things in common is not such a good thing."

She cast her eyes downward and Mark knew that she was referring to their own past relationship. Both of them being involved in G-Force had been one of the key reasons for their break-up. Their mutual desire for each other had begun to overshadow everything else. It had spiraled out of control and Mark did not like feeling out of control.

A part of him wished that it could have been different. If they had been different people, had lived a different life, would things have worked out? He wondered for a moment about what could have been.

As his feelings for Princess once again began to rise to the surface, Mark felt it best to put some space between them.

"Uh…how about we take break?" he asked as he made his way to the kitchen, "Do you want something to drink?"

Mark walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. _Uh oh_….they drank the last of the sodas while eating the pizza that had been delivered for dinner a few hours ago. He desperately started searching through his empty cupboards and eventually came across a box of tea.

"How about some of this?" he asked as he peered into the living room and held out the box for her approval.

Princess recognized the chamomile tea that she often enjoyed at night before going to bed.

"You still have that stuff? Mark, you were never much of a tea drinker!"

"Well, you never know. People can change," he said as began looking for a pair of clean mugs.

Truth be told, Princess was right. Mark hated tea! Yet, he knew that she had bought it. Every time he saw the box sitting on the shelf, he just didn't have the heart to throw it away.

While Mark was still at work in the kitchen, Princess stood up from her seat, stretched her stiff limbs, and let out a deep yawn. She turned her head about to examine the room around her. Not much had changed since she had been there last. Well, she did notice it was somewhat messier. She bent down to pick up a few magazines that were scattered about the floor. _Let's see…Sports Illustrated, Men's Fitness, Aviation Week…No Playboy…That's good! _As she approached an end table that she planned to place them upon, she noticed a small framed photograph. Princess picked it up and realized it was a picture of her and Mark. For an instant she was transported back in time to the moment when it was taken. They had been in the middle of a long hike along a local mountainside trail. She had been photographing wildlife and foliage along the way. An older couple who had also been hiking approached them and offered to take a photo. Mark had placed his arms around Princess and pulled her close. He wasn't one for public displays affection, so his actions surprised her. As she studied the photo, she could clearly see the blush that had appeared across her face. They both looked so happy. Without thinking she began to trace the outline of Mark's face with her finger.

As Mark rounded the kitchen corner holding two steaming mugs of tea, he noticed Princess holding the frame of a photo from their hiking trip the previous summer. He'd purposely placed it there earlier in hopes that the picture would evoke fond memories and it seemed to have just that effect on Princess. He stood behind her for several moments undetected and heard a small laugh escape from her lips. She'd been so engrossed with the photograph she didn't hear Mark approach her from behind.

"We had a good time that day didn't we?" Mark asked peering over her shoulder as his words drifted warmly against her cheek.

Princess turned slightly at the sound of his voice as she returned the photo to the end table. Their eyes met as Mark carefully handed her a mug. Princess responded humorously, "I seem to recall walking an additional few miles after this picture was taken because you lost our compass. God, it was so hot that day!" She began to blow on the surface of the mug before sipping at its contents.

Mark laughed, his blue eyes reflecting his enjoyment. "But we came upon that lake remember? And we wanted so badly to cool off but didn't bring any swimsuits so…"

"So you decided to take a skinny-dip and dared me to go along with it," Princess chimed in laughingly nearly sputtering the tea from her mouth, rubbing at her jaw.

Mark smirked, "We both went for it! It felt great didn't it? Just you and me, totally uninhibited for a while." He cut a sideways glance at Princess as he continued, "I remember grabbing you after you deliberately pulled me under that water. The only way I could think of getting back at you was to kiss…you." His eyes shifted deliberately to Princess' mouth as her tongue licked at the droplets of tea sprinkled about her lips.

The merriment between them was quickly replaced by the memories of shared intimacies from that afternoon. The playful kiss had taken a passionate turn as Mark held Princess against his hardened body; unable to hide the desire her nearness had caused him. She had clung to him fiercely wanting him just as much as he wanted her. Mark had lifted Princess and she had wrapped her legs around his waist; relying on the water's buoyancy as they stood in chest high water with no barriers between them.

Both had been on the verge of crossing that final threshold until they were interrupted by the park's ranger holding their clothes up for display. An older man, shocked to find two naked people as he so kindly described it, _'…bumping and grinding in broad daylight in a family park!'_ pointed to _The No Trespassing!_ Sign several feet away from the couple off shore. Mark pushed Princess behind him and apologized to the ranger profusely, albeit good naturedly, that he and his 'wife' got caught up in the moment; the sun and the scenery providing the perfect aphrodisiac. The park ranger was not amused and ordered them out of the water before he called the authorities and had them arrested for disorderly conduct and indecent exposure.

Princess' cheeks were temporarily stained red from remembering their bodies being pressed together so intimately. A reaction Mark believed to be in his favor and smiled at her attempt to graciously hide it. Princess nervously coughed before she went on, "I…I still can't believe that actually happened." She chastised Mark for his arrogance. "And for you to stand there grinning about the whole thing in front of that old man. I've never been so embarrassed about anything in my whole life." She folded her arms, still grasping her mug in one hand. "It's not like you to lose things Mark; particularly something as important as a compass."

Mark grinned roguishly. "Who said I lost anything? I misplaced the compass, but I knew about the lake," he smiled wickedly as he brushed past Princess' shoulder. She stood with her mouth agape as Mark made his way back to the couch.

Princess followed and sat in the chair on the opposite side, her face a mixture of surprise and humor from Mark's recent admission. "You're not an eagle; you're a pig!" she laughed and threw the nearest item within her reach, a throw pillow landing strategically against Mark's head. It felt nice that they could once again be comfortable in each other's presence and both shared the memory with fondness.

"So, tell me about him," he said after they were both settled back in their seats.

"Tell you about whom?" Princess asked her face revealing some confusion as her thoughts continued to dwell in the past.

"Your new boyfriend….Jeff."

Questions about the mysterious "Jeff" had been stewing in Mark's brain ever since he had found out about him that morning. Although he wasn't looking forward to it, he had to find out more information about this new man in Princess' life

"Oh….," she said somewhat surprised that Mark was bringing him up, "There's not much to tell. We've only been seeing each other for a few weeks. He's a graduate student majoring in Philosophy and Ancient Civilizations at the university."

"Have you been spending a lot of time together?" Mark asked, dreading to hear what her response would be.

"Well, we've gone to the movies a few times. He's taken me out to dinner and dancing. We also went to see a play last week at the university theater. That was fun."

Mark thought back to the time when he and Princess were together. They rarely ventured out in public, preferring to spend their time in secluded locations. It was probably the best thing to do at the time since they were trying to keep their relationship secret from the others on the team. Yet, Mark couldn't help but feel some regret for the things that they missed out on.

"Come on. I'm sure there is something more you can say about him," he said after forcing himself to take in another sip of tea. _God, why does she like drinking this stuff?_

"Well if you insist," she replied, feeling the sudden urge to get back at him for this relentless prying into her personal life. "He's six foot two, blond hair, brown eyes, muscular build…. Oh, and he's a really nice guy too. Need I go on?"

Mark bristled at her reply. It seems Jason's comments about Jeff's "surfer dude" looks weren't that far off track. "Hmmm…I never thought that you went for that type," Mark said.

"You mean the "nice guy" type?"

He felt the sting in her reply, but he knew it was well deserved. Maybe it was time for them to finally clear the air regarding their break-up.

"Listen Prin, I think we need to talk about what happened between us," he said seriously.

"Mark, as far as I'm concerned, that's history. I'm o.k. with it. I've moved on."

"Yeah….I can see that," he said with a note of regret in his voice. Clearly she was with Jeff now.

"I'm glad that you've… found someone… you're more compatible with," Mark stammered, trying to find the words to make amends. "Truth is Prin…it's not that I didn't care about you. It's just that being Commander of G-Force required my utmost attention and I often found myself wondering if I were doing an effective job. It was difficult worrying about you while on assignment and being…involved with you. I didn't know how to separate the two. For that…I'm sorry and I hope that …we can at least remain friends." Even as Mark spoke he knew he wasn't being totally honest, neither with Princess or himself. He could learn to live with her decision to be with Jeff, but he didn't want to. Not when he still felt there was something unresolved between Princess and himself.

Princess didn't know what to say. It seemed like she had waited for this apology forever, but now that it finally came, she felt numb. She looked away, unable to face his repentant gaze. _Why did he have to do this now?_ She had been hoping the unresolved wedge between them would keep her old feelings from returning. Now that he chipped it away, she wondered if she could hold up her defenses.

"Mark, I ….."

"Its o.k., you don't have to say anything," he said sensing her struggle for words. "I'm not expecting that you will forgive me. I just didn't want to go on this mission with the past standing between us."

"I knew what I was getting into," Princess said, "Our relationship was what it was. It won't affect our work."

"But this mission is going to be different than any of the others we've been on before. We'll have to say and do things as a couple. Are you o.k. with that?"

Mark searched her face for an answer. He knew that he himself would have trouble putting the past behind him under these circumstances. Could she really forget the closeness that they once shared?

"I'll be fine," Princess responded, although in her heart she truly did wonder if she could separate her feelings from the role she was about to play. Plus, she couldn't let herself forget that she was with Jeff now. Regardless of what would happen between she and Mark on this cruise, she would be coming home to Jeff.

"Uh….I hope that my seeing Jeff is not a problem," Princess added, also wanting Mark to remember that she was now spoken for.

"Of course not. I've been…uh, dating too," Mark stammered out a lie, not wanting to reveal the fact that Princess was still the only woman who had been occupying his thoughts.

"Oh!" Princess remarked, somewhat caught off guard "Is it anyone I know?"

"I don't think so. I've seen a few people. Nothing serious."

Princess didn't know whether to be comforted by the fact that he wasn't in a serious relationship or concerned that he had been seeing what sounded like several different women! Once again she reminded herself to control her feelings and push any left over thoughts of jealousy aside.

With the boundaries clearly marked between them there didn't seem much left to say. They spent a moment in uncomfortable silence. It was getting late, and they had accomplished what they could for the evening. Princess placed her cup on the table, stood up, and prepared to leave.

"I think we should call it a night," she said as she reached for the paperwork.

"Don't bother taking the files," Mark stated, "The Chief is sending someone over tomorrow morning to pick this stuff up so it doesn't get in the wrong hands. Keop will have a copy of the data on a laptop in case we need to refer to it while we are on the ship."

Princess realized that this made sense. She began to head towards the door. Mark followed her.

"Oh wait a minute," Mark said as he rummaged through his pants pocket. "I almost forgot. The Chief gave me these earlier today."

Mark extended his open palm and Princess stared down to see two golden wedding bands and one diamond engagement ring.

"He said that they are exact copies of Elliot and Sabrina's rings, but of course, the diamond isn't real."

_Not real._ That's what Princess had to keep telling herself. This entire cruise was a complete charade. No matter how "real" they had to make things look, she couldn't let any of her feelings for Mark resurface. It would only hurt her in the end.

"It certainly does look authentic," Mark stated as he held the ring up to the light and admired its sparkle. "I'm sure no one will be able to tell the difference."

Mark slipped his ring on, and then took hold of Princess' left hand placing both the wedding band and the diamond onto her third finger. He hesitated a bit as it suddenly struck him what this gesture conveyed. If someone had told him yesterday that he'd be placing a ring on a woman's finger today, he'd think that they were crazy! The mere thought would have sent him heading for the hills! Yet as he stood here before Princess, instead of the fear he imagined would envelop him, it strangely felt….right. Maybe what he had been resisting all along was what he actually needed, what was truly meant to be.

Princess swallowed nervously and her hands trembled slightly as she stared down at the rings and then back up at Mark.

"That's where they belong, right? Did I put them on the wrong hand?"

"No, you got it right," she confirmed as she turned her eyes away once again.

The rings were a perfect fit, but she clearly felt the binding weight of them. These rings were meant to be worn by people who had made a commitment to each other; a lifetime commitment. The commitment between them was only supposed to last for two weeks! As she stared down at the rings on their hands, she tried to see them as just the pieces of metal and stone that they were, but she just couldn't shake their sense of permanence.

Mark was still holding her hand as he gently grazed his thumb along her finger.

"They do look great on you," he said softly as he stared into her eyes. He knew the rings were just part of the act, but he sensed that they were connecting them somehow. Mark was even surer now that he had to win her back.

Princess continued to be caught up in the warmth of his touch and the look in his magnificent blue eyes. Feeling her defenses beginning to unravel, she moved back and pushed open the door. The chill of the night air rushed in, knocking her to her senses.

"I better go!" she said quickly as she backed away and headed outside.

Mark felt a sudden void as she distanced herself from him. He knew he had to let her go for now, but he was certain that she had felt something too. Things were far from over between them. He still had a chance to make up for his past mistakes.

"Goodnight, Mark," she said as she started to disappear into the blackness of the night.

"Goodnight, Princess," he replied as he reluctantly watched her leave.

She slipped into the seat of her car, closed the door, and placed her hands on the steering wheel. Even in the darkness, she could still see the rings glistening back at her. She shut her eyes tightly and sighed. _What have I gotten myself into?_

_Thanks for reading. More to come soon!_


	4. Chapter 4

**VOYAGE TO DISCOVERY – Chapter 4**

_Author's Note:__ We continue with Mark and Princess preparing for their mission. Conversations with friends reveal new details about their feelings and plans. _

_Many thanks again to my good friend and collaborator "Summer39". Yes, GF we are completely lost in this obsession, but I wouldn't have it any other way! Thanks also to all of you who have read and reviewed. I really appreciate your time and feedback. Thanks for sticking with this story! Many great moments are ahead!_

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"You've given the word "geek" a whole new meaning!" Jason stated as he stared at Mark who was wearing a light blue Oxford cloth button down shirt, khaki trousers, and freshly shined brown loafers. "All you need now is a pocket protector and a calculator to complete the look!"

"Very funny!" Mark replied as he continued to pack his suitcase. Jason had arrived few minutes ago to brief him on the details of the cruise ship before he and Princess were scheduled to board that afternoon. Mark was hoping that Jason would bring information to help plan their strategy, but apparently his sarcastic comments were an added bonus.

"Who cut your hair, by the way?" Jason continued. "It looks like they used a lawn mower!"

Mark winced as he quickly ran his fingers through his newly shorn locks. His hair turned out shorter than he'd expected, but he had to admit that it did improve his resemblance to Elliot.

"I went to a barber this morning whose shop is just outside the airfield. Apparently the old guy is used to giving military haircuts. I actually had to pay him extra to stop before he shaved me bald!"

"Definitely not regulation, but you came close," Jason commented. "Try to grow it back by the end of the cruise or the Chief may order all of us guys to get a haircut."

"If you keep up the wise comments on this trip, I may just order you to get one myself!"

"Hey, no need to pull rank! I'll be too busy working to pay attention to your hair and wardrobe," Jason stated as he reached into the front of his jacket and removed a set of documents from the inside pocket.

"What have you got so far?" Mark asked as he briefly turned away from his packing to focus on the schematic blueprints of the ship that Jason laid out before him.

"We've done a thorough search of the entire ship and it came up clean," Jason stated. "No weapons or devices were found that could potentially cause harm."

Mark considered that to be a good sign. If Spectra were planning an intensive attack in order to capture Dr. Shea, they surely would have tried to smuggle something on board by now. It was also a priority of G-Force to protect innocent civilians during the course of their missions. Mark didn't want this decoy operation to put any additional people at risk. The less enemy firepower around, the better for everyone.

"Well, it doesn't sound like they are bringing out the big guns yet. Have you reviewed the list of passengers and crew? Does anyone look suspicious?"

"We've done background checks and identified a few people that we need to watch out for," Jason replied as he handed a sheet of paper to Mark. "You and Prin should be especially careful when you interact with anyone on this list."

Mark scanned over the names with small photos beside them and tried to commit them to memory. He didn't immediately recognize any of them and no one appeared particularly sinister. Then again, looks could be deceiving. He'd share this information with Princess when they met up later.

"The Captain and his First Lieutenant are the only crew members aware of our mission. They are fully on board to support us in every way possible," Jason continued. "We will also have two ISO agents with us to act as bodyguards for Dr. Shea and his wife."

"Bodyguards?" Mark asked with confusion.

"Of course you and Princess have more than enough experience to defend yourselves," Jason explained, "But Elliot and Sabrina do not. Spectra is obviously aware that the government is trying to convince Dr. Shea to work for us. The Chief thought it would look more realistic if we provided visible protection for them. This way Spectra will most likely assume that you are their well protected target instead of a set of imposters."

Mark had to admit to himself that this was a good plan, but he certainly didn't relish the thought of two burley body guards shadowing them for the entire cruise. After all, he had his own personal agenda to attend to and having an audience wouldn't help matters any.

"Hey buddy, I know it's a blow to the ego to have someone babysitting you," Jason continued, "But at least they won't be sleeping in your room."

_God, he hoped not!_

"Speaking of your room, we checked that out too," Jason said as he pointed to its location on the blueprint, "It's quite a honeymoon suite!"

"That's nice," Mark said trying to sound as uninterested as possible as he kept his eyes focused on the documents, analyzing the room's location to other key points on the ship. He didn't want Jason to know about his plans to win back Princess.

"Private balcony, Jacuzzi, King size bed….." Jason said watching closely for a reaction. The thought of pretending to be Princess' husband had to be having some sort of effect on him!

"Yeah, sounds typical," Mark returned betraying little emotion in his voice.

Jason sighed, giving up his attempts to fluster the apparently unshakable Commander.

"Anyway, like I said, you and Princess will have the suite to yourselves. We are not installing any surveillance equipment in the room due to concerns about having the signal intercepted."

Mark's thoughts perked up at this piece of information. _So we will definitely have some moments alone on this cruise._

"We already scanned the room for bugs and cameras. You and Prin will have to do the same each time you return to make sure no one installed anything while you were away," Jason explained, "There will be a camera outside the room so we will be aware of anyone who enters and leaves."

_Hmm….complete privacy,_ Mark thought to himself. _This definitely opens up the realm of possibilities._

"Tiny, Keyop, and I have less than luxurious accommodations located here," Jason continued as he pointed to their room locations, "And you'll see us around the ship of course, working hard as usual!"

"Yeah, I'm sure mixing drinks for beautiful women in bikinis will be quite a challenge for you." Mark returned.

"I'm studying up on my "bartending" skills as we speak," Jason replied with a smile as he reached into his jacket and pulled out a set of note cards.

"You won't believe how complicated these drinks can get!" he said as he scanned through the recipes, "I mean, what if someone asks for "Sex on the Beach" and I give them a "Fuzzy Naval" instead?"

"Something tells me that you wouldn't make that mistake," Mark replied while stifling a laugh. Jason didn't know how lucky he was. Mark only wished that his biggest concern on this mission would be screwing up a drink order!

"Well, you have it easy," Jason responded, "Pretending to be married to Prin will be a piece of cake for you."

Jason knew that Mark had feelings for Princess. At one point he had even encouraged him to pursue a relationship with her. Yet despite all the obvious sexual tension between them, they never appeared to cross that line….at least Jason didn't think they had.

"It's not that simple Jase" Mark countered as he set aside the ship's blueprints and returned to packing the suitcase on his bed.

"Well, I have to admit that you and Prin haven't seemed to be on the best of terms lately," Jason consented, recalling the distant looks and uneasy behavior they appeared to exhibit lately, "If I didn't know better, I'd say the two of you have been making an effort to avoid each other!"

Mark didn't immediately answer, but instead made his way to the bathroom to begin packing the items that he had stored there. Jason started to wonder if he was stepping a little to close to the truth for Mark's comfort.

"You guys didn't tell me that she was seeing someone," Mark replied back to Jason who began to wander through Mark's bedroom, mindlessly picking up nick knacks as he waited for his friend to return.

"Didn't know that it mattered," Jason answered. His response was met by silence.

"For all its worth, Princess seems happy," Jason added, "For the past few weeks, she's been practically glowing!"

The silence was soon replaced by the clattering sound of bottles and cans crashing to the floor.

"Uhh…do you need help in there?" Jason shouted out to his friend.

"No, just lost my grip for a second, no damage done!" Mark hastily replied.

As he continued to wander through Mark's room, Jason came across a stack of photos on Mark's dresser. Most of them appeared to be from a Navel air show. Jason knew that Mark often observed such events to stay up to date on new flying tricks and techniques. As he made his way through the pictures he noticed a few of casual shots of Princess as well as a few of Mark and Princess together. They seemed quite…._cozy_ for lack of a better word. _Hmm….this is certainly interesting!_ Jason thought to himself. He quickly returned the photos to their original location as he heard Mark head back towards the bedroom. _There was definitely something more going on here._

"Jeff really is a nice guy," Jason commented, knowing that this would get a reaction from his friend, "Good looking too. You know from Prin's point of view. Part American Gladiator, part Brad Pitt. Big difference from you."

_"And the point of you telling me this is...?" _Mark replied as he tossed his toiletries into his suitcase and slammed the cover shut. He turned to Jason, folded his arms in front of him and frowned.

Jason smirked knowing that he had **finally** hit a nerve.

_"Just to let you know that they're having a good time,"_he continued, "But to tell you the truth man, I don't see it lasting forever."

Mark's interest peaked, "Not that it matters, but what makes you think that?" he asked.

"Jeff is very hands on. He's a real, "white picket fence" sort of guy. I know that Princess has always wanted a normal life and family someday, but I thought she valued her independence too. I can't see Jeff letting her out of his sight for long."

Mark thought about what Jason said. Maybe he had an even better chance of getting her back than he originally believed.

"Speaking of letting her out of his sight, how does she plan to explain this trip?" Jason asked curiously.

"Don't worry about it. We've taken care of that," Mark replied. He and Princess had thought of a good excuse, but from the sound of things, Jeff definitely wasn't going to like it. Mark secretly smiled to himself as he thought of his reaction to the news. Yeah, Jeff was definitely in for a challenge, and Mark wouldn't have it any other way!

--

"Oh, how I envy you!" Jill stated as she found a spot to sit on Princess' bed, tossing her bags aside as she watched her friend pack. Jill had just returned from a shopping spree down town and wanted to share her finds with Princess. Upon her return, she had discovered that her young friend had won an all expenses paid cruise to the Bahamas.

"It took me by surprise. It all happened so suddenly," Princess said. "I hope that you can spare me from the diner for two weeks."

Jill Stephens was not only Princess' employer, but good friend. A vivacious woman with caramel colored skin, curly brown hair and espresso colored eyes. She was very outspoken, recently divorced, and in her mid 30's.

"Some of the staff owes me some favors. I'm pretty sure that they'd be glad to cover for you."

Princess continued, "When Mark and I entered our names in that contest a few months ago, we never had any idea that we would win. Imagine my surprise when our names were announced, but the stipulation was that we had to leave right away."

"Wait a minute, back up a second," Jill requested as she raised her arm in the air, palm facing outward. "Both you AND Mark won this cruise. As in you're going TOGETHER."

_Uh, oh I'm going to have a harder time explaining this than I thought._ Princess said to herself as she watched her friend's dark brown eyes stare at her intently. She should have known that Jill would immediately assume that there was something romantic going on between her and Mark.

"Jill, we're not exactly_ together_. I've told you a hundred times. We're just friends."

"Uh huh…..," Jill murmured through pursed lips as she crossed her arms in front of her, "If I had a friend who was that gorgeous, he certainly wouldn't be just a friend for long!"

"Well, I know you don't believe it, but that's just the way things are between us," Princess stated as she quickly turned back to her dresser to remove more clothing. She could no longer look Jill in the eye fearing that her friend would grow even more suspicious of her story.

"O.K., if that's what you want me to think," Jill conceded, "But what about Jeff? I know that something is going on between the two of you. You can't deny that! You told me yourself that the two of you were dating. How does he feel about you winning this trip?"

"Oh, he's completely fine with it," Princess assured her.

"He's fine about his girlfriend going on a cruise with another man?"

"He knows that Mark and I are practically like siblings"

"Has he met Mark?" Jill said skeptically.

"Well, not exactly," Princess said, "But he has met Jason, Keyop, and Tiny. He knows that we're just friends, and I'm sure that he'll feel the same way about Mark."

Jill shook her head and laughed to herself. Her friend was in way over her head! There was no chance that Jeff would believe that Mark had only _brotherly_ feelings for Princess. There was a smoldering volcano of emotions that had always threatened to erupt between Mark and Princess. The tension between them was subtle, but visible to those who knew them. Jill had tried to squeeze out the juicy details of their relationship for ages, but Princess just wouldn't budge. She revealed very little about her personal life. Jill was even surprised that she told her about Jeff, although not as much as she would like to know. Her friend was a tough nut to crack, but Jill wasn't about to give up.

"Speaking of Jeff," Jill said, "I saw him leaving your room early the other day when I was setting up for breakfast. So…..how was he?"

"What do you mean?" Princess asked somewhat exasperated.

"I mean, how was he in bed? He obviously spent the night here! So spill it!"

Princess' face turned bright red, "There isn't much to tell. He did spend the night, but we were just up late talking. Eventually the two of us fell asleep. Nothing happened." Not that she was disappointed and it wasn't because Jeff hadn't tried.

She didn't lie about being up late talking. She and Jeff had developed a strong friendship based on their common likes and interests. They could spend hours discussing a favorite book, having fun jogging on the beach, or enjoying in their favorite guilty indulgence, hot fudge sundaes. Falling for Jeff had seemed so natural. When she was with him, it was like the rest of the world disappeared. For awhile Princess could forget who she was, forget about her responsibilities to G-Force, forget about the painful break-up that she had recently experienced.

She could not deny that she was attracted to Jeff. What girl wouldn't be? His All-American good looks took her breath away. It started with a few innocent kisses at the end of each date. As they continued to see more of each other, things began to progress further. At first Princess enjoyed their passionate play. Jeff's kisses were easy to respond to; his mouth was so warm and tender, his touch gentle, taking her only where she wanted to go. On this particular evening, she could sense things were moving up a notch. She could feel the heat begin to surface between them. It would be so simple to just let go and get lost in this moment. She was with a man who cared about her, someone she could trust, and someone who was willing to make a commitment to her and their relationship. Being with Jeff made sense. Isn't this what she wanted? But through the haze of seduction, another man came to mind. One whose startling blue eyes haunted Princess in her sleep and whose touch awakened desires in her she'd never known existed. With Jeff, it felt good, but at this very moment, it didn't feel right. It was enough to draw Princess out of her sex induced stupor and push Jeff away, mumbling a regretful "No, I can't do this," against his seeking lips and hands.

Jeff had been disappointed but understanding saying that maybe he had been moving too fast. Unable to provide a worthy explanation, Princess used that to her advantage. She needed time to think.

"Nothing happened? What's the matter with you? He's heterosexual, gorgeous, looks like he's well equipped if the way his pants fit are any indication, and I know he's about ready to climb Mt. Everest about now. He'd probably have you screaming at the top of your lungs! Girlfriend all you have to do is reel that big fish in!"

"We're…I'm just not ready yet," Princess replied indignantly. She didn't like the direction this conversation was going in. Granted, she was over 21, but she had only come close to sharing herself with one other person. Jeff had been extremely patient, but she wondered how much longer he would hold out. Truth be told, she still had unresolved feelings for Mark, feelings that she wasn't ready to share with Jill.

"We've been over this before Princess," Jill argued, "There is no sense waiting for the perfect man before you have some fun. If I had known at your age what I know now, I wouldn't have wasted so many years."

Jill and her ex-husband George divorced about five years ago. Jill purchased the diner shortly afterwards with her divorce settlement. They had been high school sweethearts and as far as Princess knew, he had been the only man in Jill's life, that is until she caught him cheating on her. Jill had spent the past few years making up for lost time. From the stories that she had told Princess, she certainly didn't have any regrets about it.

"Prince Charming doesn't exist," Jill explained, "You've got to take what you can get, when you can. Princess, you have two prime opportunities right in front of you. As a good friend I cannot sit here and watch you pass them by. Either chose one or play them both!"

As Jill was speaking she happened to catch a glimpse at the contents of Princess' suitcase.

"What are you thinking?" Jill exclaimed as she pulled out a high necked, long sleeve nightgown, "This is not the kind of clothing that you bring on a cruise. This is not a good look for you."

"Well, I heard it can get kind of chilly at night on the ship, don't you think? No one is going to see me in it." Princess said.

"And no one would want to! No man is going to warm up to you when you are wearing that thing!"

"I told you, we are just friends!" Princess insisted once again as she shut the suitcase and headed towards the bathroom to get more items to pack in her make-up bag.

"You know, you are being awfully defensive about this whole Mark thing. If you really are just friends, my comments wouldn't faze you as much"

Princess chose to ignore her as she continued to gather her things.

"Is this all that you are bringing?" Jill asked as she opened the suitcase and stared at its minimal contents.

"Well, part of the prize is a full wardrobe for the trip. It will be waiting for me on the ship," Princess explained while still in the bathroom. The Chief had told her and Mark that clothing which matched Elliot and Sabrina's personal styles would be provided for them. They only had to bring a few personal items. Knowing what she did about Sabrina's style, Princess tried to pack her most conservative clothing hoping that it would keep things between her and Mark on a purely platonic level, at least when they were alone together in their room.

"Well, let's hope the things they give you are better than this," Jill said as she sifted through the contents of the suitcase and pulled out some plain cotton underwear and a pair of wool knee socks and shook her head, "If this isn't an _Ugly Betty_ wardrobe, I don't know what is!"

_I don't think that I can count on someone else to fix this_. Jill thought to herself. _I need to take matters into my own hands._ After glancing at Princess' frightening choice of clothing in her suitcase, she began to rummage through the contents of her shopping bag. Jill decided to provide her with a few select items to make her trip even more memorable.

--

_Thank you for reading….._

"


	5. Chapter 5

**VOYAGE TO DISCOVERY – Chapter 5**

_Author's Note:__ I'm so sorry that it's been so long between updates. We do plan to complete this story. Thank you for reading and staying with it! _

_Once again I'd like to thank my good friend "Summer39" for her invaluable contributions. I couldn't bring you this story without her._

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Looks the same as always. _Mark thought to himself as he pulled his red convertible sports car into the gravel parking lot beside Jill's diner. It had been several months since he'd been there. Although everything appeared to be just as he left it, Mark knew he was only trying to fool himself into thinking that nothing had changed. Truth was that within the past day his world had turned completely upside down. Between finding out that Princess was seeing someone else, to preparing to embark on an unusual mission where they had to act as husband and wife, Mark felt at times that his thoughts and emotions were spinning out of control! He was grasping to find something, _anything_ that was still the way it had always been. Right now, he wanted to believe that returning to Jill's Place was like coming home.

As he walked into the diner, he was greeted by the most amazing scent of grilled burgers, pan fried bacon, and homemade apple pie. Well, one thing was certain, at least Jill's Place hadn't turned into a vegetarian health food joint while he'd been away!

It did seem quieter than usual though. The sound of the jukebox was normally drowned out by the constant clatter of dishes and hum of conversation, but today he heard the tune clearly. The lunch crowd had thinned out and only a few customers lingered behind.

"Well hello stranger!" a voice called out to him.

Mark turned to see Jill drop a cloth she was using to wipe down the counter to run over and wrap her arms around him.

"Do you greet all your customers this way?" Mark asked as he returned the hug.

"Only the ones as good looking as you!" Jill laughed and gave him a mischievous wink.

Over the years Mark and Jill had developed a teasingly flirtatious friendship. Mark knew it was all in fun especially since she seemed not so much interested in him as in finding out the details about his relationship with Princess. He'd always made sure that he revealed as little as possible, but he knew that Jill wasn't blind. She was aware that there was more going on between him and Prin than a simple friendship.

"Look at you!" Jill exclaimed as her eyes took in his conservative attire and newly trimmed hair, "What's the story with the new style? Did you get a new job, or maybe join the young Republicans?"

"Ummm…..I guess you could say I've got a new job." Mark replied. It wasn't exactly a lie, and it did give him an easy way out of a long and complicated story that he obviously couldn't share.

"So, I guess that explains why you haven't been around here so much," Jill stated as her eyes narrowed, "Or could there be another reason?"

"Nope," Mark replied as he put his hands in his pockets and shifted his feet uncomfortably, "Just burning the midnight oil at the new job!"

"Well then, I guess that makes you even more happy to have a break. Congratulations on the cruise! Couldn't have happened to a nicer couple!"

"Umm, Jill, Princess and I are not exactly a couple." Mark clarified.

"So you say!" Jill said with a wink.

Mark began to open his mouth to issue yet another denial when his eye caught a vision of loveliness descending the staircase from the loft apartment.

She was a dazzling image in pink and white. For a moment Mark wondered if perhaps he was dreaming. The dress Princess was wearing was equally as discreet as his clothing. The skirt of her dress skimmed her knees. Her cashmere cardigan sweater with its pearl buttons did not reveal an iota of skin. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail which hung over one shoulder. Her face had very little make-up, but the natural blush of her cheeks and the sparkle of her deep green eyes was all that was needed to accentuate her beauty.

He was at a loss as to why her angelic appearance captivated him so. Maybe it was because he was expecting to see her as he always did at Jill's, in the short mini skirt and clingy white blouse of her waitress uniform. But here he was, once again faced with unexpected, and this time his mind had turned it into a pleasant surprise.

"You look…great!" he said finding himself at a loss for words.

"And you…," she replied with a similar look of surprise her eyes, "I can't believe you actually cut your hair!" she exclaimed as she reached out and gently ran her fingers from the top of his head down to the nape of his neck.

"I….," Mark wanted to say something, but instead the two simply stared deeply into each other's eyes as if no one else existed.

"There you are!" a voice called out from behind them.

Suddenly, a chill went through Mark as he felt the warmth of Princess' touch drift away.

"You must be Mark!" the voice continued.

Mark blinked and realized a tall blonde man was standing beside Princess, with one arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her close to him, and the other reaching out to offer a handshake.

"I'm Jeff…Prin's boyfriend," he clarified.

Mark suddenly felt like he'd been doused with a bucket of ice water. _So much for unexpected surprises! _He thought to himself.

He reluctantly reached out to grab Jeff's hand and received an enthusiastic and hearty handshake in return. It took all Mark's strength to resist the urge to crush Jeff's fingers! Sure the man was about two inches taller than him and based on the size of that bicep straining against his shirt sleeve was an obvious fan of work outs. Yet there was no doubt in Mark's mind that if push came to shove, he would come out on top. He returned a forced smile and issued a silent challenge. _Buddy, you have no clue who you are dealing with!_

"I'm so glad to finally meet the last of Prin's brothers," Jeff stated as he flashed a brilliantly white smile.

"Brother and sister, huh?" Mark questioned as he glanced towards Prin. "That's an interesting way to describe our relationship."

Princess shot Mark a look of warning indicating that he should play along with this story.

"Oh, I know that you aren't her_ real_ brother," Jeff attempted to clarify. "Prin told me about how you, Jason, Keyop, and Tiny grew up together in the orphanage. That must have been pretty tough. I'm glad Princess had friends she could depend upon to see her through that time". He looked lovingly at Princess and pulled her closer to his side.

"Yeah, it's sharing tough times that bring people closer together," Mark replied as he stared at Princess, silently remembering the times they had been there for each other and hoping that she would do the same.

"I completely agree," Jeff returned. "Prin told me that her brothers are very protective of her. I want to assure you as I did the others that I have nothing but the best of intentions when it comes to my relationship with Princess. I'm hoping that over time I'll earn your trust just as I've earned hers," he explained as he held her hand, gently nuzzled up to her face, and placed a kiss upon her cheek.

_Ugggh!_….Mark was never a big fan of public displays affection, but even this relatively tame example between Princess and Jeff made him feel like he wanted to hurl!

"Princess, I think it's about time we hit the road," Mark said impatiently.

"By the way Mark, I really appreciate you covering for me like this," Jeff stated.

"Covering for you?" Mark answered, his blue eyes narrowing with confusion.

"Well you know that Princess asked me to join her on the cruise as soon as she found out she won, right?"

Obviously Princess had chosen to take another detour in the story they planned as a cover for the trip. She once again gave Mark a pleading look to follow along.

"Yeah, right," Mark answered as he folded his arms across his chest, raised one eyebrow, and curiously waited to hear how Princess managed to pull off this deception.

"Unfortunately, my final thesis is due this week," he explained, "Been working on it for the past year and can't get any leeway on the deadline."

"Tough luck, pal," Mark replied as he faked a sympathetic pat to Jeff's shoulder.

"Of course I wasn't too happy about Princess going on this trip alone. You know how some guys go on these cruises just looking to pick up women. I wouldn't want her to end up in any uncomfortable situations if you know what I mean?"

"Oh, sure…sometimes those guys just won't take no for an answer," Mark commiserated.

"So when she offered to take one of her brothers along instead, it seemed like the perfect solution! I knew she'd be in good hands with one of you watching over her."

Mark couldn't believe how easy he had it! Obviously if this guy was dumb enough to believe the "brother/sister" storyline that Princess fed him, Mark would have no trouble snatching back Princess right out from under his nose.

"Trust me, she _will _be in good hands," Mark replied as he gave Princess a wink and slapped Jeff once again on his shoulder, this time just a bit harder than necessary.

"You just focus finishing that _essay,_" Mark continued. "Wouldn't want to keep you from graduating and getting a job out here in the real world."

"It's actually a _thesis_," Jeff clarified, his voice taking a slightly defensive tone as he moved closer to Mark "And I already have a job. Speaking of which, what is it exactly that you do?"

"Uh…well, I'm sure that you guys could talk about your jobs all day, but we have a boat to catch," Princess said as she stepped in between them. She knew she had to cut further conversation short to avoid the risk of conflict.

"Is this everything," Mark asked as he glanced down at the suitcase and makeup bag on the floor beside her. He couldn't wait to get the hell out of there!

"Oh, I forgot my purse!" Princess exclaimed as she turned to head up the stairs to her apartment.

"Honey, while you're up there, can you grab the book that I left on your nightstand? I need it for my class next week," Jeff called out.

_Her nightstand? As in the nightstand by her bed? _

Before he had time to fully digest the idea of Princess in bed with another man, Jeff's voice interrupted him.

"I'll take this out to the car for you," he said to Mark, "Looks a little heavy. Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself before your big trip."

Jeff reached forward with one hand and easily scooped up the rather large suitcase, his other hand slapping Mark on his shoulder…. just a bit harder than necessary. _Hmmm…maybe this guy was starting to catch on._

As Mark watched Jeff walk out of the diner, he heard a voice from behind him.

"Mmmm….hmmmm….Now that's what I call a prime piece of Grade A man. Nice, tight, and well proportioned. I'll bet you can bounce a quarter off of that behind!" Jill exclaimed.

"Oh Mark did you say something?" she continued, finally breaking her admiring gaze.

Without out saying a word, Mark stormed towards the door, swung it open, and raced out to the parking lot, leaving Jill holding her hands over her mouth in an attempt to suppress her laughter.

"Hey you forgot this," Mark called out as he strategically tossed Princess' make-up bag into Jeff's abdomen, practically knocking the wind out of him.

After taking a moment to recover, Jeff moved closer to Mark and began speaking in a hushed, yet firm tone.

"I didn't want to say anything while Princess was here and get her upset, but I sense that there there's some tension between us. Care to explain?"

"I really don't have time to explain," Mark said as checked his watch, then stepped aside and began opening the trunk of his car, "Maybe you can ask your _girlfriend_ about it someday."

"Mark, I get along fine with Jason, Tiny, and Keyop. They're great guys. I'd like for us all to be friends…for Princess' sake," he reached out his hand in a gesture of peace.

Mark had to reluctantly admit to himself that Jeff seemed to be a nice guy. Under any other circumstances they probably could be friends, but in this case there was no chance in _hell_ that he could _ever_ be buddies with _anyone_ claiming to be Prin's boyfriend.

"Yeah, I don't think that's going to happen, _Joe_." Mark said, deliberately ignoring Jeff's outstretched hand.

"Its _Jeff_," he clarified with a sigh, "Look we don't have to be best pals. I'm o.k. with that. I'd just like to make sure that we are on the same page regarding Princess."

"And what page is that?" Mark asked impatiently.

"Princess hasn't filled me in on all the details, but before she and I started dating I know that she was involved with someone who hurt her a great deal emotionally, so much so that she hesitated becoming involved with anyone else at all. She doesn't like to talk about it. I don't even know the guy's name. It took awhile, but I think she is finally over it and she's moved on. She's happy. We're happy together. Do you get what I'm saying? If you're really her friend, you'll want what's best for her."

Mark felt a twinge of regret knowing that he had been the cause of Princess' pain. True, what he had done in the past was wrong, but he couldn't begin to doubt himself now. He knew that he and Princess belonged together. He couldn't give up. He would make it up to her.

"For the record, I know Princess _very_ well, and believe me I only want what's best for her too," Mark replied as he placed the suitcase in the car.

"Do you?" Jeff asked skeptically, "What she and I have together is solid; nothing is going to change that. Not even this cruise. Do you understand?"

"I understand perfectly, but what makes you think that you're what's best for her?"

Just as Jeff was about to reply, they turned to see Princess walking towards them.

"Oh just toss that makeup bag on the front seat," Princess interrupted.

Jeff wasted no time in returning to Princess' side and wrapping his arms around her.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye for now," he stated as he reached up to touch her cheek and brush a loose strand of hair away from her face, "I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too," Princess said shyly, feeling somewhat uncomfortable with Mark looking on beside them.

"Soon we can have our own romantic getaway. Maybe make even more plans for the future. You know how I feel about you and I _think_ I know how you feel about me. When you come back I want us to talk about how we can make this work; no interruptions. I'm ready to commit myself to you. I'd really like to see where this relationship can take us Princess. I care about you so much."

Princess was speechless, stunned yet touched by the honest and direct proclamation of his feelings. Clearly Jeff was someone who wanted to be in her life and share his with her; offering her so much more than Mark ever did.

As he watched on Mark became livid. He slammed down the trunk and shouted out, "Hey Prin! We need to leave before we get caught in traffic! Say your goodbyes to _Jack _and let's jet!"

Princess reached up to plant a small kiss on the side of Jeff's mouth. Jeff seeing a seething Mark behind her turned his head and surprisingly parted Princess' lips with his own. He cradled her face as his mouth plundered hers deeply. Princess yielded to this sudden burst of passion which she had never seen in Jeff before as her arms encircled his neck. Jeff's hands slid sensuously from her face down to the small of her back, hugging her closely to him. Mark's mind screamed upon seeing this level of intimacy between them, his hatred for this man growing by the nanosecond. Jeff had staked his claim in right front of him!

Suddenly remembering that Mark was behind her, Princess pulled away from Jeff's embrace, but never the less the kiss had left her breathless. Seeing her reaction, Mark cursed violently under his breath, turned on his heal and got into the driver's seat.

"Enjoy yourself beautiful," Jeff stated as he escorted Princess to the convertible, and she stepped inside.

"I want you to have a good time. You deserve it," he said as he closed the car door. Princess returned a smile.

"By the way Mark...the name's _Jeff_."

Mark snorted as he put on his driving gloves.

"I take it we'll be seeing each other again," Jeff spoke in a challenging tone, his brown eyes full of even deeper meaning.

Mark put on his shades as he shifted the car into first gear and smiled wickedly, "I look forward to it."

"By the way..._Jeff_," Mark enunciated the other man's name as he put his arm around Princess and hugged her close, "... I'll see to it that Prin has one hell of a time!"

A feeling of panic seized Princess as her eyes ping ponged between Jeff and Mark.

Mark slid his glasses down and looked directly at Jeff, "Understand?"

A look of realization came into Jeff's eyes that Mark may have been the man in question, but before he could respond, Mark stomped on the accelerator, kicking up a trail of dust and gravel, leaving poor Jeff in a cloud of smoke.

_To be continued! Thanks for reading!_


	6. Chapter 6

_**VOYAGE TO DISCOVERY - CHAPTER 6**_

_Author's Note:__ All I have to say is "Wow! Has it been two years since the last update?" Time certainly flies! I must apologize for the delay. There were many family and work issues preventing me from getting back to this story. Although I'm sure that many of you have forgotten about it by now, it never strayed far from my mind. I promise this story will be finished. There are just too many good ideas in the works to stop now! I hope that this chapter makes up for your long wait._

_Much of the heart and soul of this chapter came from my good friend "Summer39" . This is truly a collaborative effort and she deserves much of if not more credit than I do for this chapter. GF, I applaud your bravery, admire your brilliant writing skill, and thank you once again from the bottom of my heart! You are truly the best!_

"What just happened back there?" Princess exclaimed as the car continued to race down the road, heading for the on-ramp to the highway. As Mark released his arm from her shoulder to shift gears, Princess shifted her body towards the passenger door. As much as she tried, it was difficult to maintain a great distance between them in the small vehicle.

"What do you mean?" Mark stated with a flagrant air of denial.

"You've got to be kidding! You just left my boyfriend with the impression that you and I are going on this cruise as a couple!"

"Well, aren't we?" Mark knew this was a loaded question, but he just couldn't help himself. His encounter with Jeff brought his feelings about Princess to the forefront. He realized even more so how important it was to use this trip to his advantage.

"Of course but for the mission only!" Princess said in an exasperated and somewhat panicked tone, "I thought we had an agreement on how we were going to handle this. I can only imagine what he's thinking right now!"

Mark could definitely imagine what was on Jeff's mind and could barely suppress the small smile of satisfaction that crossed his lips.

"Look I can't help it if _Malibu Ken_ is a little sensitive about his girlfriend going off somewhere on her own. He was practically begging me to watch over you. I was merely assuring him that I would."

"This is unbelievable! How can you possibly think what you did would reassure him? It only made things worse!"

As if on cue, Princess' cell phone erupted into a melodic ring tone. She recognized the caller's number instantly.

"See, that's him now! How can I explain this?"

As Princess picked up the phone and put it to her ear, Mark couldn't help but overhear a muffled, yet jarring voice on the other end.

"Jeff…I'm so sorry….No, nothing is going on between us…..Believe me….I don't know what got into him….Yes….but….I mean no….I mean….it's complicated….I….." Princess was at a loss.

Fed up with the direction the conversation was going in and Princess' indecisive handling of her boyfriend, Mark decided to take charge. "Let me take care of this," he said irritatingly as he reached over to grab the phone out of her hand.

"Hey Jeff. I really have to apologize if I gave you the wrong impression back there," he lied. "There is nothing going on between me and Princess."

"_Are you also denying that there ever was anything between you? Because the guy I saw seemed to have some very strong feelings and they were clearly more than brotherly!"_

Since it didn't look like Jeff was going to buy this story, Mark realized his best option was to come clean on their past, yet continue to be deceptive about his plans for the future. At the very least, it would redeem himself at some level in Princess' eyes. Unfortunately, to reach his ultimate goal, Mark had no choice but to make it appear as if he was in support of Princess' relationship with Jeff. She continued to watch him disbelievingly apologize to her boyfriend.

"O.K. Yes, we were together in the past, but it was a long time ago. It's over and it was my decision to end it. I guess old habits die hard and I just had trouble seeing her happy with someone else. But you have to believe me when I'm telling you that I do want to see her happy. If she's happy with you, then I guess I will just have to accept that."

A look of relief appeared on Princess' face and Mark thought that maybe he finally salvaged something from the conflict that he had initiated. There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line. Mark felt the need to continue with his fictitious apology in order to insure Princess and Jeff's relationship remained intact….at least for now.

"Please don't blame Princess for my actions," he continued, laying it on as thick as he could. "It was entirely my fault. She asked me on this cruise with completely innocent intentions. She had no idea that I was going to react the way I did. She was upset with me and very concerned about you when we drove off. Can we just clear the air between the both of us, at least for her sake?"

A brief moment of silence was followed by a tight and assertive response. Jeff hadn't bought Mark's sincere act one bit.

"_Listen, I'm going to get back on the phone with Princess and let her believe that I'm OK with all of this for now because I trust her and I want her to have a good time on this trip. But don't think for one minute that I trust you and that this is over between us, because it's not."_

"Well I'm glad we've come to an understanding," Mark said with a forced smile across his face in an attempt to appease Princess, who was still watching him closely to try to determine Jeff's reaction. _This guy's smarter than I gave him credit for._

"_Understand this…," _Jeff continued_, "I know you have something up your sleeve and whatever it is it's not going to work. You blew your chance a long time ago and the game's over. Princess and I are committed to each other. We belong together. She's moved on…. in every sense of the word. Got it?"_

"Absolutely!" Mark replied with a false upbeat tone in his voice. He couldn't bear to think about what the man was implying. It was bad enough watching Princess and Jeff kiss each other goodbye. Picturing anything more between them was too much to fathom.

Clearly a challenge had been laid at his feet. Initially, as difficult as it was, he was going to take the high road for Princess' sake, but this guy was getting under his skin. _Who does he think is telling me to back off? _Deciding that the gloves were now officially off, Mark planned to get even with this Brad Pitt clone.

"Umm…I'll give the phone back to her now," Mark declared as he attempted to return the phone to Princess. _It's on now you smarmy bastard!_

The small device slipped from Mark's grasp and strategically fell into his lap. "Aww shucks! Would you look at that?" he feigned innocently. "I just dropped the phone between my legs." Adding insult to injury, Mark purposely shifted in his seat allowing the phone to do just that and decidedly chose to speak louder than usual to announce this recent occurrence.

Princess gave Mark a glacial stare while he continued in a seemingly beseeching voice, "Hey Prin…Could you reach down there near my **junk**…Umm…I'm sorry…I mean my **crotch,**" he theatrically emphasized the references of his anatomy, "…and retrieve your phone? I mean I wouldn't want good ol' Jeff to think that he couldn't trust me behind the wheel of this car with his best girl sitting right beside me."

Princess silently fumed with balled fists as Mark jokingly tormented, "Come on Prin. Jeff's waiting. Besides it won't bite." While Princess gestured for Mark to return her phone, he lowered his sunglasses, winked his right eye, and shook his head in refusal of her request.

Having no choice but to take part in Mark's crass joke, Princess closed her eyes and reluctantly reached for her phone. The sounds of an outraged Jeff cursing angrily at him from his seat spurred Mark even more as he sputtered to keep a straight face, "That's it. Right near the man berries." He couldn't hold it in any longer and let loose with a juvenile whoop of laughter at the absent Jeff's expense.

Princess snatched the device quickly and went into damage repair mode. She was immensely apologetic for Mark's behavior and for not telling Jeff of her relationship with their tormentor. Her green eyes were visually combative while Mark attempted to regain his composure adjusting his Ray Bans. He'd won that round.

A minute or two passed as Mark watched Princess struggle with her conversation and the temporary vindication he felt from fueling Jeff's jealousy was immediately replaced by a wave of guilt. Here he was, the man who dumped her several months ago, now trying to sabotage any hope she had in her current relationship. True, he meant to eventually make this up to her when they got back together, but it suddenly dawned on him that Princess had no way of knowing his intentions. In her eyes he looked even more like a jerk than he did before!

Although he could barely hear what Jeff was saying, he could tell that the tone of the conversation had changed. He breathed a small sigh of relief knowing that at least for the moment, Princess had succeeded in pacifying him.

"Yeah, I'm OK…..No, I can handle him…..Yes, I'll remember…."

"_Oh geeze…now I'll have to listen to another prolonged goodbye,"_ he thought to himself in silence as he rolled his eyes.

Then, just when he thought it couldn't get any worse, he happened to overhear Jeff say something that rocked him to the core.

"_I love you…."_

_Damn!_ Just those three simple words. Words that he struggled with in the past, but apparently flowed effortlessly from someone else. Maybe Jeff was right; maybe it was already all over for him. Mark waited anxiously for Princess' response.

Before she could answer, Princess cautiously eyed the driver across from her. She was painfully aware that her conversation with Jeff was being heard and she hesitantly gave him an honest response. "I….I'll miss you too."

'_Pay dirt!'_ Mark exclaimed victoriously to himself as he clenched his right fist onto the steering wheel before moving his hand to the gearshift. _'She can't even bring herself to say it to him! I've still got a chance!' _Wanting to conceal his interest in their conversation, Mark looked into his rearview mirror, pretending to watch the line of cars behind them. Princess bade a somewhat satisfied Jeff goodbye.

They rode for several minutes in stone silence with Mark catching brief glimpses of an angry Princess out of the corner of his eyes, hidden beneath his Ray Bans.

"Alright...out with it. Tell me what you're thinking," Mark asked as he maneuvered the car through city traffic.

Princess turned to him and gave him the wisp of a humorless smile. "That you're a jerk." She fingered several loose tendrils of hair away from her face before adding, "And a hypocrite."

"I said I was sorry," Mark added shrugging his shoulders matter-of-factly. "George seemed to be OK with it."

"It's Jeff alright! His name is Jeff and stop pretending as if you don't already know that," Princess responded, deliberately choosing to look at the buildings they passed rather than at Mark. "That was beyond the valley of good taste even for you. My relationship with Jeff is based on trust and now, because of your frat boy antics, you've cast doubt in his mind." She admonished him; tossing her ponytail over one shoulder as she grumbled, "Thanks a whole lot."

"How come you never told him about us?" Mark asked simply. "If trust is such a factor in your relationship then why not mention me?" He really needed to know. He couldn't help but notice that Princess didn't tell Jeff that she loved him as he so emphatically told her. That piece of information would definitely work to his advantage on this trip.

Princess studied Mark's profile, noting that at a muscle was twitching near the corner of his mouth. "I told him I had been involved with someone but that it didn't work out. I told him that the guy didn't return my feelings," she answered somberly; wishing she could see his eyes. She could always gauge his emotions through those expressive blue eyes of his. "Was I wrong?"

Pride shielded Mark from answering that question. Pride and guilt. He'd never told Princess that he loved her, although he physically reciprocated it often, he never actually confessed it. If he could turn back the hands of time, he'd leap at the chance to tell her how he really felt. But Mark couldn't do that now. He had to start over; hoping to re-establish the trust he'd lost from her. The trust she'd given to Jeff.

Princess continued to watch Mark; waiting for the response that never came. _'Why am I tormenting myself this way?' _she though miserably. It was hard enough working with Mark; he was constantly within her reach. She should've known he'd avoid answering the obvious. Each time she dared to hope, he left her feeling hollow inside. Feeling rejected, like all the other times before, Princess turned her head away. "Typical," she muttered beneath her breath.

Mark chose to change the subject; knowing that the assignment should be of their main concern he decided to hold out an olive branch. They still had to work together after all. "Truce," he commented quietly, extending his right hand to her after shifting gears.

Princess suspiciously eyed Mark's extended hand but chose to ignore the intended sentiment. "Fine ...Commander," placing heavy emphasis on his status as being an officer first; a man second. "We mustn't deviate from our reasons for being here. Truce." Refusing physical contact, she then returned her attention to the scenery.

Dropping his arm on the armrest, Mark sighed heavily. "Well this is going to make for one hell of a long trip." Feeling slighted after Princess' refusal to meet him more than half way, Mark pressed on. "The others should be on board ship by now; preparing for the assignment."

Princess nodded. "Right. I guess now is as good a time as any to get into character." She pulled out a small blush pallet from her clutch tote and a tube of lip-gloss while reaching for the mirrored visor above.

"Before I forget, Jason stopped by and briefed me earlier today" Mark explained as he pulled from his shirt pocket the folded sheet of paper that had been given to him and handed it to Princess

"Apparently we need to be on guard when we encounter anyone on this list," Mark stated.

Princess scanned the details of what appeared to be a list of small time criminal offenders, each with some minor arrests and prison time. Nothing that was remotely close to the high level kidnappers and assassins that she was expecting to see.

"Hmmm…Doesn't look too bad," Princess said confidently knowing that the two of them had successfully thwarted more dangerous looking individuals in the past. "I'm surprised some of the big guns from Spectra aren't on this list."

"No sign of them yet," Mark said skeptically as he continued to bring Princess up to speed on Jason's report, including the information about their bodyguards.

"Well, I guess the ISO is taking every precaution to make this look like an genuine honeymoon trip for Dr. and Mrs. Shay!" Princess exclaimed as she returned to her task of applying her make-up. She added a sweep of color along her cheekbones and outlined her full lips with the lip gloss' moist tip applicator. A quick application of smoky eye shadow along with mascara and Princess was pleased.

"There." She then looked down at her state of dress and felt that something was missing."Oops. Almost forgot." Princess adjusted her sweater and opened a few buttons along her bosom, exposing a bit more cleavage that left little to the imagination.

Mark watched Princess' transformation through hungry eyes. Appreciative that he was wearing sunglasses, he tried to avert his eyes from the delicate bones of her face...the very suppleness of her clinging to the soft sweater. Though she looked sexy as hell, her appearance did disturb him.

"Don't you think you're overdoing it a bit?" He tried to come off as nonchalantly about Princess' appearance as he could. But something in his voice didn't quite pull it off.

Princess noticed it immediately and chose to be deliberately coy. She leaned over to press her hand to his shoulder, her lips barely touching the ear, as she whispered provocatively, "Why Mark I do believe I'm having an effect on you.'' Mark's mouth twisted slightly and he gripped tighter at the steering wheel. _'Damn it! This woman is toying with me!'_ he thought maddeningly to himself. He fervently wished that the breeze he was feeling against his face, while driving the convertible, would ribbon over the arousal stirring at his groin. _'Think about the mission Eagle! Think about the mission!' _his mind screamed as his body began to return to normal.

Satisfied with the hot and bothered look she'd placed Mark's face, Princess sat back in her seat. "Besides this is how Sabrina Shay looks, not me. Stop being so uptight about it." She grinned as if in remembrance of something while crossing one shapely leg over another. "Then again this really shouldn't come as some sort of surprise."

Mark took the bait. For whatever reason, Princess continued to goad him and appeared to be on the verge of laughing, "How about letting me in on the joke. What's that supposed to mean?," he asked defensively while trying to maintain his focus on the now winding road that lead to the pier.

Princess grinned. "Mark you've always been a little rigid. Even when we were together, there were times I thought you could stand to lighten up. I mean really…"

"You…you're calling me rigid?," Mark questioned daringly. "That's real funny. You're dating _'Captain America' _and have the nerve to call me rigid. Your boyfriend is so freakin' rigid I'm surprised rigor mortis hasn't set in."

Mark had hit a nerve and he laughed uproariously at the look of contempt on Princess' face. "Don't get mad at me. You started this," he added while down-shifting the car's gear before stopping at an intersection.

Princess agitatedly tossed her ponytail over her shoulders and spoke haughtily, "Well, I happen to know from very _personal _experience that he's rigid _where_ and _when _it matters; which is more than I can ever say about you." Implying that at least her relationship with Jeff had been consummated.

In seconds, the sports car veered momentarily into the opposite lane of traffic; the driver barely missing an oncoming car before regaining control of his own vehicle. They came to a brief stop at another intersection and Mark then turned to stare at Princess for a full ten seconds.

It was Princess' turn to smirk at the surprised expression on Mark's face. The furrowed brow and open-mouthed gape was testament that she'd scored a direct hit into Mark's bruised ego. She wanted to hurt him as he'd hurt her moments before.

Her victory was short-lived, for the brief stricken look she'd seen on Mark's face didn't satisfy her as much as she thought it would. She thought she could be sophisticated and flip once she dangled the lie in front of him. The truth was it was the one area of her relationship with Jeff that suffered because of her unresolved feelings for Mark. Feelings she hadn't admitted still existed to herself until now.

Princess and Mark had never shared the ultimate physical intimacy she craved. Although they came awfully close on several occasions; it had been Mark who put the brakes on, not her. Perhaps knowing that their relationship wouldn't last, he spared her the last shred of dignity that was left by not sleeping with her. How could she possibly continue to work with him after sharing his bed? _Maybe Mark did us both a favor, _Princess considered thoughtfully.

Now she was ashamed of herself. _Dammit! _

How could she retract the lie without looking like …a liar? Even worse, by admitting she did it to hurt him would give Mark the emotional leverage she wasn't ready to relinquish.

Princess opened her mouth to speak but bit her bottom lip instead. Traffic had picked up as they were nearing the pier. Mark again down-shifted the car into low gear, while easing up on the clutch, as the vehicle idled alongside the train of cars all heading into the same direction.

It was now or never.

"Mark listen…" she began but Mark cut her off obtrusively.

"Forget it," he remarked tightly. "What you do …and who you do it with… is your business; not mine." Mark didn't think it was possible to hurt as much as he did.

Princess flinched, knowing she'd gone too far. "But I need to explain…" Princess attempted but was interrupted by a priority red light flashing from the car's GPS screen. A signal indicating an incoming call from Chief Anderson. A small holographic image of the Galaxy Security Chief appeared and hovered above the dashboard. The roof of Mark's sports car rose and quickly enveloped them within the confines of the car. To further maintain privacy, Mark quickly pulled into a remote parking spot near the edge of the pier. He removed his sunglasses and focused on the image before him.

"_G-1...I take it you and G-3 are together?" _Anderson asked in all seriousness, although he knew the answer before it had been provided to him.

"Yes sir, we are here," Mark stated as both he a Princess somehow managed to put aside their personal conversation and quickly revert into officer mode.

"_I'm happy to inform you that all preliminary steps have been executed to begin this mission. Key operatives have been put in place and the rest of your team have taken their positions," _the Chief relayed.

"_G-1, G-2 informed me that he briefed you this afternoon on the initial searches and the security strategy. Have you reviewed this information with G-3?"_

"Yes, we've discussed and also memorized the key passengers of interest." Mark replied continuing to focus on Chief Anderson's image and avoid any eye contact with Princess.

"_I have an update to that list," _the Chief informed them. Instantly another image appeared next to Chief Anderson. It was a photograph of a bearded gentleman in his mid-fifties.

"_This is Dr. Martin Reiger, a German scientist, world renowned in the field of Quantum Physics. He and his team have been working for the past three years on a weapon defense system, similar to the work being done by Dr. Shay's team."_

"I thought Elliot's findings were unique in this area," Mark questioned, not recalling the work of Dr. Reiger mentioned in the numerous documents he had recently reviewed.

"_It is," _the Chief responded. _"Although investments have been heavily made in Dr. Reiger's team, their progress has been slow and their technological findings have been limited. When Dr. Shay began pursuing this same line of research last year, his progress quickly advanced well beyond that of Reiger's team. Yet, the German operation continues to be funded as they insist they are close to a significant breakthrough_."

"I'm not sure I understand," Princess stated with confusion, "Wouldn't it make sense to pool their resources and work together if they have the same goal? Western Europe is our ally in the war against Spectra."

"_Yes, but it appears that this is a matter of pride when it comes to Dr. Reiger. He insists that his team continue to work independently without influence from the competing theories of Dr. Shay's team. There are significant academic awards at stake including the Nobel Prize. Reiger is determined that his team reach that milestone before Dr. Shay. It would be the ultimate victory in his lengthy career. Now that Elliot is working with our team, its clear who will come out ahead."_

"This information is interesting Chief, but how will this impact our cruise?" Mark asked.

"_Apparently Dr. Reiger and his wife are also on this trip," _Chief Anderson explained as a photo of the couple was displayed before them, "_It was booked months ago by his wife under her maiden name. It was meant to make up for the numerous vacations the doctor has neglected to take over the past few years. It wasn't until the final passenger list came through with both Dr. Reiger's and his wife's names where we were able to make the connection to Elliot Shay."_

"Have Dr. Reiger and Dr. Shay ever personally met?" Mark asked with concern.

"_Thankfully, they have not. The Shay's have reviewed the complete passenger list and fortunately other than Dr. Reiger, there is no one else listed that they have met or is connected to their families or work."_

Mark breathed a sigh of relief. He knew he looked enough like Elliot to pass himself off to the remote observer, but he doubted his ability to convince anyone who directly knew Dr. Shay.

"_However," _the Chief continued, _"There is some concern that Dr. Reiger will approach Dr. Shay in an attempt to discuss the progress of his work and determine exactly how far behind the German team is in relation to the US team. You need to avoid any detailed technical discussions at all costs. Dr. Reiger is one of the few people who could easily trip up an imposter."_

"How do you suggest we keep Dr. Reiger and any other individuals who want to discuss Physics at bay?" Princess asked.

"_As I've told the both of you before, do whatever it takes to make yourselves appear to be an authentic couple. This is your honeymoon cruise. If the conversation takes a significant technical turn, turn your attentions towards each other. The only thing that holds Dr. Shay's interest more than Physics is his wife. It's expected that his focus will be on her and not his work during this cruise."_

"Of course," Mark returned in a dutiful and unemotional response, "You can trust that G-3 and I will present a convincing cover. It's our goal to insure that this mission is successful and Dr. Shay's work with the Federation can continue when his honeymoon is over."

Princess couldn't help but notice the detached tone in Mark's response and the fact that he hadn't looked at her once during this entire briefing. The Chief was practically telling them to make love on the deck of the ship if it served the purpose of convincing everyone that that they were the Shay's, yet it didn't seem to phase him! He'd seriously do anything to follow orders and expected her to do the same. The Shay's would resume their normal lives after this mission and so would Mark and Princess. It was "All in a days' work" as far as he was concerned!

"_Good," _Chief Anderson returned, _"I'm sure you will be successful. However, I must continue to caution you. As quiet as things may initially appear, do not let your guard down for a minute! Spectra has significant interest in the Shay's and they are bound to show up in some shape or form on this trip. They could be anywhere and they won't let anyone stand in their way."_

"We are 100% vested in this operation Chief. We won't lose sight of that," Mark assured him. Yet his mind couldn't help but return to his recent conversation with Princess. He'd certainly seen the results of letting his guard down, and in that case it was devastating.

"_Well, I'll leave you now so you can board the ship. While you are on this mission, your wedding rings will assume the function of your communicators. Use them should you need to reach anyone in an emergency. They will also be used to contact you. In the meantime keep the communicators with you, but hidden should you need to transmute."_

Princess and Mark knew they couldn't use their communicators, but until now were unaware that they would be replaced by the rings.

"_Good luck and we'll be in touch" _the Chief quickly stated as his image disappeared from view.

"Well, I guess we better get going," Mark stated as he removed his driving gloves, searched for the ring in his pocket, and placed it on his finger. Princess reached for her purse and retrieved her rings to do the same. Upon closer inspection, they both realized the rings were more than what they appeared to be. Mark pocketed his communicator while Princess placed hers in her tote.

He started the car and moved it to a parking spot closer to the dock. As Mark prepared to exit the vehicle, Princess reached over to touch his arm.

"Mark….what the Chief said about us appearing as a couple….are you sure…"

Mark finally turned his head to face her, his deep blue eyes looking seriously into hers, "Princess, I know what Chief was implying, but I want you to know, that you don't have to do anything that you don't want to do. We have to maintain our cover for this mission, but if at any point you feel uncomfortable with what's happening, just let me know. I'd never do anything to intentionally hurt you."

Princess was somewhat taken aback by what appeared to be genuine concern, especially since she was certain she had upset him earlier when she implied that she slept with Jeff. Maybe she was wrong about Mark. Maybe he did know how to separate his sense of duty from the reality at hand. Maybe he had learned from his past mistakes.

"It's OK. It will be fine," she replied as it was now her turn to look away and avoid his gaze. She had trouble facing him knowing the lie that now stood between them.

Since it appeared that their conversation was over, Mark opened the door and headed to the back of the car to get their bags. He retrieved a navy blazer from his garment bag

After removing the bags and lowering the lid of trunk, he was met by an amazing sight. Princess slowly stepped out of the car, reached for the tie of her ponytail and pulled it out causing her hair to cascade in waves around her.

"_She is killing me!" _he thought to himself. Even after her admitting the full extent of her relationship with Jeff, Mark still couldn't let go. No matter what happened, he was certain that she belonged with him. He couldn't change the past, but he would definitely make sure he changed the future.

Looking for something to distract him, he donned the dark jacket and reached into his coat pocket to pull out Elliot's wire rimmed glasses. He wished the frames had magical powers to temporarily blind him from Princess' beauty. Unfortunately for him, that was not the case.

Princess admired him as he shrugged his shoulders into the blazer and commented, "You clean up nice Commander." She then walked towards him, adjusted his collar and patted his chest. For a brief moment, all the hurt and defensive behavior had been forgotten and it was just the two of them. The way Mark wanted it to be. He thanked her for the compliment.

Checking in had gone rather smoothly. Once Mark had handed his sports car over to a Federation agent, their luggage had been immediately and discreetly taken aboard ship to their cabin. The added benefit of being VIP's. The agent then gave the couple their sale and sign cards; complete with pics of the real Elliot and Sabrina Shay, so that no one had reason to doubt their identities when their cards were used during the cruise. He explained that their pictures were on file on the ship and should Spectran agents get a hold of the passenger listing they'd have no cause for doubt if their cards were scanned for ID confirmation. The plan was to let Spectra think they were actually on board. The _Caribbean Splendor _wasn't scheduled to leave the dock for another hour and a half, which gave Mark and Princess plenty of time to familiarize themselves with the cruise ship's festive environment. Island music could be heard thumping rhythmically in the background as people exchanged goodbye's and well wishes.

Mark scanned the perimeter behind tinted lenses while Princess watched the multitude of people who would be boarding the ship. Princess lightly touched Mark's shoulder and pointed in the direction of the cruise ship's gangway, watching the captain and his crew greeting VIP passengers as they came aboard first.

As if on cue, Mark encircled his arm around Princess' shoulder and pulled her close as they walked towards the ship.

"Come across anything or anyone suspicious let me know," Mark whispered against Princess' ear; his lips brushing against the sensitive lobe as he moved his hand from her shoulder to the curved nape of her neck.

The intimate gesture, innocent as it was, was enough to unnerve Princess. Just to be near Mark in this manner was proving to be more unsettling than she thought. She breathed in the faint scent of sandalwood and closed her eyes at the feel of Mark's warm fingers gently massaging her neck.

"Sure thing," she replied; almost croaking on the words as they leisurely ascended the gangway.

"Hey," Mark nudged her towards him, his arm now firmly around her waist. "It won't be so terrible." He winked at her before adjusting his glasses. "Put on your game face baby. Time to pretend."

Princess responded with a curt nod and a half-smile as the line they stood in moved closer towards the main deck. If Mark could be infuriatingly calm, she knew that she could be as well.

The couple reached the deck's platform and were greeted enthusiastically by the ship's captain, who was flanked by the ship's cruise director, security chief, doctor and assistant purser who was actually Tiny,G-5, undercover. "Dr. and Mrs. Shay…welcome, welcome." A tall, solid figure in a crisp, white uniform smiled wholeheartedly at the newlyweds as he eagerly shook Mark's extended hand and offered a polite tip of his captain's hat in Princess' direction. "We are so very glad that you and your lovely wife chose to spend your honeymoon aboard the _Caribbean Splendor. _We trust that you will enjoy your accommodations and should you discover your need for anything, please inform us and we will respond promptly."

"Thank you very much…err…," Mark hesitated and feigned blurry vision as he took a good look at the officer's name badge through wire rimmed glasses, "Captain Stuart. Nice to meet you. I trust that everything is in order Chief Sawyer?" Mark directed this question to the security officer standing on the captain's left after catching a glimpse of his ID badge.

"Yes Dr. Shay. We were informed of your arrival and have discreetly and strategically placed security officers throughout the ship. They have been informed that they are to remain within close proximity yet watchful of you and your wife at a distance, thus respecting your privacy."

Princess turned to look at Mark adoringly, placing her hand to his chest. "Oooh…I think I'm going to like this trip sugar.

Tiny coughed and nodded respectfully as he added smoothly, "Please excuse me. I am the assistant purser, Yeoman Clark. We are so very pleased to have such distinguished guests aboard. Just moments before Dr. Martin Reiger and his wife arrived. He wanted to be certain that I mention their presence on board. He mentioned that he is a colleague of yours Dr. Shay."

Mark raised a satanic eyebrow at this. "Is that so?" Tiny suppressed a small smile to Mark's reaction.

Captain Stuart remarked, "He also asked that you do us the honor by joining us at my captain's table for dinner tonight. I am embarrassed by this, for my intention was to ask you and your wife at a later time during the cruise. I certainly understand if you choose not to accept and offer my sincerest apologies. But…," and the captain shrugged his shoulders sheepishly, "Dr. Reiger was adamant that I make the request."

Mark turned to look down at Princess' upturned face, which also reflected her surprise. Dr. Reiger certainly wasn't wasting any time.

"Captain Stuart surely you can understand that my wife and I are here to enjoy each other's company. We are on our honeymoon after all." Mark put his arms securely around Princess' shoulders while she wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning into his frame.

The captain opened his mouth to apologize but this time Princess intervened. "Honey, I don't see the harm in having dinner at the captain's table tonight. After all, we have the next two weeks ahead of us and…," she then reached under Mark's chin and kissed the side of his mouth, "…our whole lives to spend time with one another." She then snuggled into Mark, pulling on the lapels of his navy blazer while gazing into his spectacles. "Besides we can make up for lost time later tonight."

That remark even made the captain blush and the crew exchanged knowing glances at one another. Tiny merely chose to look at the couple in admiration. _Great acting you two!_

Mark smiled directing his full attention towards his pretend wife as he spoke. "Well if my wife has no objection to having dinner tonight at the captain's table…" Choosing not to the complete the sentence, he gave the captain permission to come to the obvious conclusion.

"Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful," Captain Stuart declared and turned towards Tiny. "Please inform Dr. Reiger that the Shays will be joining us at the captain's table tonight."

"Yes sir Captain Stuart," Tiny nodded obediently before excusing himself. "Good day Dr. and Mrs. Shay. It was a pleasure."

Mark decided to take Tiny's lead and excuse himself and his wife from the company of the remaining crew members.

They began to make their way towards the bar on deck near the ship's Olympic sized swimming pool. Mark and Princess immediately caught site of Jason, as bartender, serving drinks to the other VIP guests. They were headed in Jason's direction when they were suddenly imprisoned by one of the ship's renegade photographers blocking their path.

"You two seem like a great couple; real photogenic!," he spoke hurriedly, adjusting his padded neck strap while aiming at them with his camera. "Why not let me take some shots of you near the pool?"

Sensing the photographer was about to shoot their picture, Mark impulsively jerked Princess towards him and lowered his mouth to hers as the first of several flashes began.

The shock of it sent them both in a kind of free fall. Princess had never expected it and Mark was grateful for the opportunity. Realizing that she couldn't resist, Princess opened her mouth to Mark as one hand slid down her back, pressing her closer to him while the other cupped her head from behind. What started out as a means to shield their faces from the camera, was now a full blown response to their feelings for one another; although neither had verbally expressed it.

Mark's tongue explored every bit of Princess' warm, moist mouth. The gliding touch of his tongue evoked a surge of heat and sweetness that had been missing from Jeff's kisses. And Princess responded with equal abandon, wrapping her arms around Mark's neck as he enveloped her within his arms. It was as if she'd been in a coma all this time that only Mark could awaken her from and she eagerly surrendered to this moment. She arched her body into his; her body eliciting a yearning for completion against Mark's solid frame.

Mark's need for Princess was literally bleeding from him while he held her in his arms. The kiss deepened as he continued to sip and pull at Princess' soft tongue with a need that far surpassed anything that he ever felt before. His body ached for this young woman and he silently vowed that he'd do whatever it took to win her back.

And just as suddenly as Mark had initiated the kiss did he also end it. He reluctantly pulled away from Princess' lips only slightly and held her at arm's length as she slowly opened her eyes. He became mindful of their audience; passengers who began clapping and whistling at their recent display of affection. And he became increasingly irritated after capturing Jason's amused and disturbingly pleased expression from the bar. He didn't want to be reminded that they were Federation agents. On a mission. Posing as newlyweds. On a cruise ship.

He looked at Princess' passion-drugged green eyes and kiss swollen lips before redirecting his attention towards the offending photographer. "Don't do that again," Mark warned. "My wife and I are on holiday and prefer that no photographs be taken without our permission."

The photographer apologized and was quickly overcome by two rather large gentlemen who escorted him towards the ship's chief security officer.

Giving Princess time to compose herself, Mark lifted his hand and silently requested drinks for the both of them. He didn't want to spoil the moment, but he felt immensely pleased with Princess' response to his kiss. _She isn't as immune towards me as she wants me to believe_. _Princess still feels something for me._

Princess patted at her cheeks and hid her eyes beneath lowered lashes, painfully aware of Mark's shrewd blue eyes on her.

Jason sauntered over to them, carrying a small tray of mixed tropical drinks, and handed each a frosty glass adorned with tiny umbrellas and even tinier red straws. "Something to cool you off," Jason murmured jokingly; his eyes darting between the two suspiciously. He had no doubt that something had taken place between the two of them in the past, and this kiss only confirmed it. There was more going on here then just the mission!

Mark turned to touch the rim of his glass to Princess'; the contact making a sparse clink of sound before taking a sip of the fruity concoction. He watched Princess through hungry eyes as he whispered for her ears only, "Let's get the honeymoon started shall we?"

_To be continued. Thanks so much for reading!_


End file.
